


To Dream, Perchance to Die

by PatL



Series: The Micki and Tracy [2]
Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Gen, The sequel to "Transitions"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-06-30
Updated: 2001-06-30
Packaged: 2017-10-09 19:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 24,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/90513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatL/pseuds/PatL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny is back and this time, he's after Micki and Tracy. Can Starsky and Hutch find him before it's too late?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

To Dream; Perchance to Die

 

To die, to sleep  
To sleep, perchance to dream, ay, there's the rub  
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come  
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil  
Must give us pause, there's the respect  
That makes calamity of so long life  
William Shakespeare_Hamlet

Sergeant David Starsky pulled his Torino to the curb and honked once. Minutes later, his partner, Ken Hutchinson climbed into the passenger side. Starsky handed him a wrapped sandwich.   
"You didn't get the chance to eat breakfast, either, huh?"  
Starsky shook his head and grinned. "We thought about setting the alarm earlier, to see if that helps."  
Hutch grinned back. "It doesn't. We tried that. We still missed breakfast."  
Starsky laughed, almost choking on his sandwich. "Oh, well."  
Hutch laughed with him. If anyone had told him that he would ever be this happy, he wouldn't have believed it. Six months ago, Hutch wasn't sure that he would ever have a career, or a partner, again. James Gunther had come alarmingly close to taking both away from him. After Gunther, the two detectives had come perilously close to the edge of a cliff. That was before he met Micki Ellis. She and her partner, Tracy Edwards, had pulled the two men back from the edge of that cliff. Micki had been involved in an extremely hazardous case involving a known organized crime family. He and Starsky had been assigned to the case after a series of homicides. The case had been their first as members of the new task force the Commissioner had created. Now, both he and Starsky had new lives, new careers, and new loves.   
They climbed the stairs to their new office, and went inside. Captain Harold Dobey was waiting for them.   
"Morning Cap. Want a sandwich?"  
"No, thanks, Starsky."  
Hutch looked at his partner. "Uh, oh, the Captain's refusing food. What's the matter, Captain?"  
"I just received a fax from Warden Woolridge. Tommy Carruthers escaped from prison sometime during the night."  
Hutch wadded the wrapper he was holding and slammed it into the trash can.  
"Carruthers is in maximum-security lock-up. How the Hell did he escape?!"  
"The warden isn't sure. We'll get the details later on, but apparently he had help. What matters now is he's gone and we have to assume he's headed here. You need to tell Micki and Tracy right away."  
Hutch walked to the window and looked down at the morning traffic. He thought briefly about how quickly the peace and serenity could be shattered. He spoke without turning around.  
"Do you know how many times she's woke up screaming in the middle of the night? Do you know how long it's taken for the nightmares to go away? She's just beginning to accept what she had to do to stay alive. She's the cop, and he's the monster, but she's the one who feels guilty." He looked at Dobey. "Man, I really don't want to tell her that he's loose again. I don't know what she'll do."  
"You have to tell her, Hutch. If he is headed here, it's only for one reason. He's coming after her. She can't protect herself if she doesn't know she's in danger."  
Starsky glanced at Hutch, then asked, "Are we sure he is headed here, Cap? It would make a lot more sense if he went to Mexico, or even Europe. Coming back here is the biggest mistake he could make."  
"Right now, we're not sure of anything, Starsky. Look, Hutch, I can't tell you what to do. If you want to hold off telling Micki that he's escaped, I'll go along with that. But if we find out that he's definitely headed here, you won't have a choice."  
Hutch sighed. "I know that, Captain. I just hope he's headed back to Jersey, or anywhere but here."  
They spent the rest of the day catching up on the never-ending chore of paper work. Hutch admitted to himself that the computers made it easier, but until they invented a computer that could think for itself, he and Starsky would still spend a lot of time filling out forms. They stopped several times to check for leads on Tommy Carruthers. So far, no one had seen him. Thankfully, it was soon time to go home.   
Hutch parked his car behind Micki's and walked upstairs to their apartment. After keeping separate apartments for two months, Micki had given in to Hutch and moved in with him. It didn't make sense to keep her own apartment when she was spending all of her time at his. He knew the two women had been in court all day, so hopefully they wouldn't know about Carruthers' escape. He unlocked the door and walked inside.  
The first thing he saw was the kitchen table. A white tablecloth covered it, and there were two candles in brass holders sitting on the table. Micki had turned the lights down low. Hutch could smell the tantalizing aroma of roast beef and potatoes.  
She turned to him as he closed the door. "Hey, you're home right on time. Dinner's almost ready. You've got time to wash up, if you want to."  
He kissed her and held her close to him for a moment. "Something sure smells good. How was your day?"  
She rolled her eyes. "Boring, of course. But what can you expect? We had to sit all morning while the DA called the other witnesses, then it only took a few minutes to give our testimony. Oh, well, at least it turned out right. Judge Prescott threw the defense attorney's insanity plea right out the window. Corey Sims may be a cold-blooded killer, but he's competent to stand trial."  
"So you got to sit in court all day. That's about as interesting as my day was."  
"That good, huh? What were you and Dave doing?"  
"Paperwork, mountains and mountains of paperwork."  
"You poor thing. Go take a nice hot shower while I finish cooking."  
Hutch did as she suggested, washing away all thoughts of Tommy Carruthers with the hot water. They talked about their day at work, their plans for the next day, and for the next weekend. Then, Micki brought up a subject that jolted Hutch back to the present.  
"I really need to figure out what I'm going to do with that house, Ken."  
"Why the rush, Mick?"  
"I was talking to Martin Soames today, after the hearing. Since Danny-damn it, I mean Tommy-put the house in my name, I'm responsible for all the taxes on it. I don't want the house and I hope I never have to live in it again. So, I guess I need to get everything in order so I can sell it."  
"It's your choice, Mick. I don't blame you for wanting to get rid of it. So, what do you have to do?"  
"I need to go over to the house and get it cleaned up, for starters. Then I'll have all the utilities turned off, and close it up. As soon as I do that, I can turn the keys and everything over to a real estate agent, and he can sell the damn thing."  
Hutch thought quickly. He tried to seem casual when he asked, "So, when were you planning to go over there?"  
"Whenever I can find the time. I want to do it as soon as I can, though. I'll draft Tracy into helping me."  
"Well, if we can get away, Starsky and I can help, too. Then it won't take long to close the house."  
"Sounds good to me.   
"OK, I'll talk to Starsky tomorrow."   
Hutch sighed inwardly. He'd offered to help so Micki and Tracy wouldn't be in the house alone. With Tommy Carruthers on the loose, that's the last thing he wanted.  
When Micki got up and started gathering the dishes, Hutch stopped her.  
"Oh, no, you don't. You cooked; I'll clean. Why don't you hit the shower while I take care of this?  
She grinned. "You talked me into it."  
Hutch put away the leftovers while she was in the shower. He smiled to himself when he opened the refrigerator door. You could always tell there was a woman in the house by the amount of food in the fridge. When he was living alone, you could usually count on a few beers and an occasional leftover pizza, but not much else. He was thinking about the past when he heard Micki coming out of the shower. She came over to stand next to him.  
"Would you like dessert?"  
"No, thanks, I'm -"  
Hutch stopped talking as he looked at her for the first time. His throat was suddenly dry. She was wearing his favorite shirt, the one that she wore to sleep in every night. Only one button held the shirt together and he could tell that she wasn't wearing anything else under the shirt.   
"So, what would you like to do now?"  
He grinned. "What did you have in mind?"  
"Well, we could do the dishes."  
"I don't think so."  
"Is there something else you'd rather do?"  
"I can think of a few things."  
"More fun than doing the dishes?"  
"Definitely."  
She moved closer to him and raised her arms, not quite touching him. As she put her arms around his neck and lifted her mouth to his, she whispered, "Show me."  
They had barely drifted off to sleep when the phone rang.  
Hutch growled, "If that's Starsky, I'll kill him."  
Micki laughed. "I don't think it's David."   
She answered the phone then gave it to him. "It's Captain Dobey."  
He carefully ignored her questioning look, and said, "Yeah, Captain?"  
"I want you and Starsky down at the corner of 8th and Main, right now. There's something you need to see. Don't bring the girls."  
"Sure, Cap, we'll be right there."  
He climbed out of bed and grabbed his trousers, talking to Micki as he dressed.  
"As much as I hate to, I have to go. Captain wants us to see something. It shouldn't take long."  
"Do you want Tracy and I to come along?"  
"No, not right now. If it looks like it's going to be serious, I'll give you a call."  
"OK."  
As he was putting on his shoes, the phone rang again.  
"Now, that's David." She answered it, and listened for a minute. "OK, David, I'll tell him."  
"He's on his way. Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"  
"I'm sure. Why don't you get some sleep? I'll be back as soon as I can."  
David Starsky hung up the phone and finished tying his shoes. He turned to Tracy and sighed. She was standing by the bed, wrapped in a sheet. He could hear the sound of a romantic night going down the proverbial drain. He grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Suddenly, he turned and strode back to her. He gently cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her. Regretfully, he stepped back.  
"Hold that thought. I'll be back as soon as I can."  
Tracy watched him run to the car and speed out of sight. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders.   
"So much for that."   
Starsky pulled the Torino around the coroner's wagon and parked behind Dobey's car. A crowd of on-lookers stood behind the yellow tape. Dobey saw them approach and motioned for them to join him.  
"I'm sorry that I had to call so late, but I thought you needed to see this."  
He walked a few feet away to a figure lying under a blanket. He pulled a corner back and looked up at the two detectives.  
"Take a close look, you two."  
Starsky and Hutch knelt down beside the body. She had been pretty at one time. Hutch figured her age to be around twenty-five or thirty. The marks around her neck stood out sharply, even under the dim light of the streetlamp. The bruises on her face and the blood around her mouth contrasted with her pale skin. He looked over at the coroner.  
"Was she raped?"  
"We'll have to do the autopsy to make sure, but it's a safe bet."  
"What about the time of death?"  
"I'd say not long; make it two or three hours ago."  
Hutch stood up and faced his Captain. "Cap?"  
Dobey was grim. "Did you take a GOOD look, Hutch? Who does she remind you of?"  
Hutch looked down at the body again. He noticed the dark hair and her small stature for the first time. He closed his eyes and slowly shook his head.   
"It's the same MO, isn't it? Beaten, raped and then strangled. It's his old stomping grounds, too. Well, I guess that cinches it. Carruthers is definitely here."  
"That's right." Dobey glared at his detectives. "I want those girls told. I want to see all four of you in my office, first thing in the morning. Understand?"  
Hutch nodded. "Yes, Captain."  
He waited until the Captain was gone, then slammed his fist on the Torino's hood.  
"Damn it!"  
Instead of going home and facing the questions of both girls, Starsky and Hutch spent the remainder of the night working on the homicide. The victim matched Tommy Carruthers' profile right down the line. The young girl was not married and had no close friends or family. She had lived in the city for only a few months and had worked at several nightclubs during that time. When Hutch heard Tracy and Micki talking in the outer office, he quickly closed the file and sat back in his chair. He and Starsky exchanged looks.  
"Hi, guys. Have you been here all night?"  
"Uh, yeah, we've been waiting for some information on a case. That doesn't matter. The Captain wants to see us."  
Micki looked up at Hutch as the four detectives headed for Dobey's office.  
"What's going on, Ken?"  
"We can talk inside, Mick. We'll explain everything there."  
Captain Dobey was waiting for them. As soon as everyone was seated, he came around and leaned against his desk.  
"Micki, Tracy, I have some news that I think you should hear. There isn't an easy way to tell you, so I'll just say it right out. Tommy Carruthers escaped from prison yesterday morning."  
Micki stood and walked to the window. Without realizing it, her thoughts echoed Hutch's. Everything looked so peaceful. It was amazing how fast things could change. Tracy came over to stand beside her. Micki tried to smile.   
"So much for storybook endings." She straightened her shoulders and looked back at the captain.  
"He escaped yesterday. Why didn't anyone tell us?"  
Hutch cleared his throat. "We wanted to get a lead on him before we said anything, Mick"  
"Obviously, you've got one."  
"Yeah, the way it looks now, we're pretty sure he's back."  
Tracy glanced at Micki again then asked, "What makes you so sure he's here?"  
"We think he attacked a young woman last night. At least, he's our prime suspect."  
Micki said, "Well then, can't you get her to ID him? Show her his picture, and see if it was really Danny. Damn it! I mean Carruthers!"  
"Micki, we can't do that."  
"Why not? Didn't she get a good look at him? He never bothered to cover his face before. Or won't she talk? Why don't you let us try? We'll let her know she's not alone and that we can protect her."  
Hutch took her hand and led her back to her seat. He knelt in front of her.  
"She's dead, Mick. It was the same MO. She was beaten, raped and then strangled."  
Her face paled. "My God, he really is back."  
Hutch stood up, still holding her hand. "Come on; let's go home. I'm beat. It's been a long night."  
Micki sat on her side of the car and looked out the window. She was still quiet as Hutch unlocked the door and went in. Hutch took a bottle from the cabinets and made them both a drink. He sat down beside her and handed her the glass.  
"Go on, Mick, drink it."  
She laughed without humor. "Like that's going to help? You should have told me, Ken."  
He sighed. "I know. I just didn't want to bring it all back again. I was really hoping he'd go anywhere but here."   
"I should have known. He said it wasn't over and that he'd be seeing me again. Even with most of DiConti's men behind bars, he managed to escape. He killed that girl on purpose. He knew it would get my attention. He wants me to know he's back."  
"Micki, we'll get him. We won't let him anywhere near you or Tracy. I promise."  
"He's never going to let me go. I thought it would be so easy. I told myself that I would do anything to put him in prison. I pretended that it wasn't me that he made love to. Now, when I think about it, I feel like he raped me. I can't do that again. I won't ever let him touch me again."  
Hutch took her in his arms and held her close. "He won't, Mick. It IS over; I'll make sure of it this time."  
Although they did their best, Starsky and Hutch couldn't uncover any leads on Carruthers. The first person they went to see was Huggy Bear.  
"What it is, fellas? How's it going?"  
"It was going pretty good, Hug, until Tommy Carruthers escaped from prison."  
"Whoa, that's not what I wanted to hear. Are you sure?"  
"Yeah, the body we found last night has his signature written all over it. We need your help, Hug. He's dropped out of sight, and we need to find him before he gets to Micki and Tracy."  
"You know I'll do everything I can. How are they taking it?"  
" They're not real thrilled. If you hear anything, let us know, OK?"  
"You got it. I'll start making some calls. You tell those girls to stay safe. We'll put that scum back where he belongs, never fear."  
Hutch smiled at his friend's confidence. "Thanks, Hug. We'll check back later."  
Forty-eight hours later, Micki decided enough was enough. "Look, Ken, Carruthers is going to surface when he's damn good and ready. I, for one, am not going to sit in this apartment forever. I'm going to go on with my life and he can try and stop me if he's brave enough. Tracy and I are going to go over to the house and get it closed up. You can put an unmarked car outside if you want to, but we are going."  
"Micki, I wish you wouldn't. He's probably got someone watching the house."  
"Good. Then we can get this over with and go back to leading our lives. The sooner he's caught, the sooner we can all breathe again."  
"You're determined to go over there, aren't you?"  
"Yes." She walked over to him and put her arms around his waist. She held him tightly for a few seconds, and then looked up at him.  
"I know what you're thinking. I'm not being reckless. I want to be rid of that house, and if it helps bring him out in the open, then so be it. We'll be careful, and if we even think he's around, we'll yell loud and clear. OK?"  
"No, but I know I can't talk you out of it. Don't stay any longer than you absolutely have to, all right?"  
"All right. It won't take long, I promise. We'll just make sure everything's turned off and all the windows and doors are locked. Then I'll turn the keys over to the real estate company and I'll be finished with the house for good."  
Micki picked her partner up at Starsky's apartment and they drove over to the house Carruthers had bought for her. Though they couldn't see them, several unmarked cars kept track of the women. A utility company van was parked strategically down the street from the house.  
"Come on, Trace. This place gives me the creeps. Let's get this over with and get out of here."  
"You'll get no argument from me, Mick. Lead on."  
They worked quickly, going from room to room and checking to make sure everything was in order. They save the kitchen for last, and were checking the contents of the refrigerator when Micki looked over at Tracy.  
"Now what in the world do I do with all this stuff?"  
"I'd pitch most of it out, Mick. I guess it's a good thing you left the electricity on, or you'd probably have something growing in here by now."  
Micki chuckled. "Yeah, the monster from the monster's fridge. Hey, maybe we could get it to eat Danny if he comes back."  
"Nah, Danny would probably give it indigestion. No self-respecting monster would want any part of Carruthers."  
"Yeah, he always was a slimy son-of-a-bitch."  
Suddenly, the phone rang. Micki jumped slightly then looked at Tracy. Tracy shrugged.  
"It has to be the station. No one else knows we're here."  
Micki walked over and spoke cautiously into the receiver. "Hello?"  
"Hello, baby-cakes. I'm glad you're finally home. I've been hunting everywhere for you."  
"What do you want, Danny?"  
"Why, baby-cakes, didn't you miss me? Aren't you glad to hear my voice? It's been a long time."  
"Not long enough."  
"Why, Micki, you're gonna hurt Danny's feelin's if you're not careful. I thought you'd be dying to see me."  
"In your dreams, punk."  
"Still the same old Micki, I see. Is that blond bitch of a partner still around, too?"  
Tracy answered, "I'm right here, scum."  
"I owe you one, bitch. You shot me and no one gets away with that."  
"Whenever you're ready, scum. You just name the time and the place."  
"Oh, don't you worry about that. You both will be seeing me, real soon. Like I said, baby-cakes, it ain't over till it's over."  
The receiver clicked in Micki's ear.   
Tracy took the phone from her partner, and cut the connection. Then she dialed a number.   
"What are you doing, Tracy?"   
"Calling the station, what else? We have to let Dobey know we've heard from Danny."  
"Oh, God, Ken's gonna kill me."  
Less than thirty minutes later, Dobey, Starsky and Hutch were gathered in the living room. The two women repeated the conversation they'd had with Carruthers.  
"How long was he on, Mick?" Hutch asked.  
"Not long enough for a trace, even if we had the equipment set up. He just wanted me to know that he was back and that he was watching me. I know him, remember? He likes to be in control and he likes to intimidate women."  
Dobey sat down at the kitchen table. "That settles it. You two are going to a safe house, right away. I don't want you anywhere near Carruthers. Starsky and Hutch can track him down."  
"So we're supposed to hide out until they catch him? How long do you think that's going to take, Captain? We can't drop out of sight forever. We have other cases that we're responsible for."  
"I know that, Micki. But you can't go running around like nothing's happened, either. We can't protect you when you're out in the open like that."  
Tracy interrupted him. "There's something else that you haven't thought of, Captain. I agree with Micki on one point. Carruthers killed that girl to let us know that he's in town. If we go into hiding, it might make him angry enough to kill again."  
"So what are you saying? I'm supposed to let two of my officers' use themselves as bait to draw this psycho out of hiding? No way."  
Micki spoke calmly. "Captain, think about it. He said that he's been looking for me. He called the house on the chance that I might be here. I don't think he knows about Ken and me. If he did, he would have called me at Ken's apartment, or maybe even showed up there. Look, we'll be at the station during the day, and David and Ken will be with us at night. It's not as dangerous as you think."   
Micki stopped talking and looked away for a minute. When she looked back at Dobey her eyes were haunted.  
"Danny's killed enough young girls already. I don't want to be the reason why he kills again."  
Dobey growled, "All right, you win, for now. You just make sure that you two DO NOT go anywhere without back up. And, watch your backs. This nut could be anywhere. He may not know where you are now, but he still has connections. I don't want him sneaking up on you."  
Micki sighed with relief. "Don't worry, Cap. I don't want him sneaking up on me, either."  
"I think I'll keep the van here in case Carruthers shows up. Are you finished here? I think the sooner you leave the better."  
"Yeah, we were just about to lock-up and go home. I guess with him running around, I'd better not turn the keys over to the real estate guy yet. If Danny sees strange people looking at his house, it might set him off."  
Tracy said, "You're right. Besides, we might get lucky. If Danny's trying to hide out, he might just turn up here. He thinks we're all a bunch of Keystone Cops anyway."  
Dobey grunted. "Well, the joke's going to be on him if he does come back."

That evening, Micki stood on the balcony of Hutch's apartment and looked out over the city. Hutch came up behind her and hugged her tightly.  
"We'll find him, Micki."  
"I know we will, eventually. I keep thinking about that girl. I don't want to see anyone else killed. All those other times, he went after the girls he killed. It was a way for him to control them. He seduced them by making them feel special and when they wouldn't do what he wanted, he exploded. This isn't the same thing. It was a cold, calculated move to draw me out in the open. I think Tracy's right. If I go into hiding, he'll keep killing until he finds me."  
"Micki, you aren't responsible for him, or for what he does. He's a monster and you helped put him away. You and Tracy helped the Feds put away a whole lot of DiConti's men. They couldn't have done it without you. Don't let Carruthers beat you down. You did a good job."  
"Well, it doesn't change the fact that he's still out there. I lived in Hell for six months and what good did it do? He's in prison for three lousy months and then he escapes. We're no better off than we were."  
"I wish I could think of something to say that would make you feel better."  
Micki turned around and held him close to her. "Just find him, Ken. Find him before it's too late."  
After a restless night, the four detectives met in the Task Force offices. Micki sat down in front of a computer and checked the activities of the previous night.  
"Well, at least there weren't any more homicides with Danny's MO. Of course, no one spotted him either."  
"He's just laying low, Mick. His picture is all over the news and Huggy has all his feelers out. He might be conceited, but I don't think he's stupid enough to roam around aimlessly."  
Before Micki could answer, a young man in a tan uniform knocked on the front door, and then entered cautiously.   
"Excuse me, but I have a delivery for Micki Ellis? The cop-I mean police officer- downstairs said she was here."  
"Yeah, that's me."  
"Here you go. These are for you."  
Micki accepted the long white box and tipped the deliveryman. She looked up at Hutch with a smile.  
"Now when did you do this? That is so sweet!"  
Hutch looked at her with a serious expression. "I didn't."  
Micki looked back at the box then quickly dropped it on her desk. Hutch bent down so he could listen then straightened up.  
"Well, it's not ticking. Go ahead, Mick, open it."  
Carefully, she cut the string that held the box together. She took a deep breath and then lifted the top. Lying in the box, on a layer of white cotton, was one black rose. Gingerly, she lifted it and laid it aside. Underneath was a small white card. She picked it up and read it aloud.  
"Good morning, baby-cakes. I hope you slept well. If you didn't see me in your dreams, you'll see me soon. Danny."  
She gathered everything up and started to drop it in the trash, until Hutch stopped her.  
"Micki, don't. We'll send it down to the lab so they can dust it for prints."  
"Why? We know Danny sent it because he signed it. Why should we waste the lab's time?"  
"It's evidence, Micki, you know that. Look, I want you and Tracy to stay here. Starsky and I will go to the Flower Shoppe and see if he left an address or anything."  
"How do you know which florist these are from?"  
"It was on the kid's shirt, Mick. You must have missed it."  
Micki massaged the back of her neck. "Yeah, I guess I did. OK, we'll stay here, but please be careful. I don't think you're going to get anything and I'd hate for you to get hurt chasing a red herring all over town."  
"We'll be careful, don't worry. We'll be back as soon as we can."  
Micki watched the two men until they were out of sight then dropped back into the chair. She looked over at Tracy.  
"Yeah, I see him in my dreams. He's my worst nightmare. How am I ever going to get rid of him, Tracy?"  
"I don't know, Mick, but we'll exorcise him somehow."  
Hutch stood in the Flower Shoppe and tried valiantly not to lose his temper. He told himself, again, that the lanky young man behind the counter hadn't done anything wrong. He took a deep breath and carefully lowered his voice.  
"OK, one more time. What did this guy say?"  
"This guy, the one in the picture that you showed me, came in and said he wanted to buy one black rose. I told him that there wasn't such a thing as a black rose, and he told me there'd better be. So, I went out back and found this hybrid rose that was a really dark red. I brought it out to the guy. He said that was close enough and that he would dye it so it would be black. He asked me for a card and wrote something on it. Then he handed me the card and fifty bucks. He said the rest of the money was mine if I delivered it in person. He told me where to take it and then he left."  
"And he paid cash, so you didn't get an address or anything."  
"Right. The only time we have to get an address is when they charge it. Look, the guy was a little pissed when I told him there weren't any black roses. When I showed him the dark red one, he cooled off. He didn't cause any trouble."  
Starsky exchanged a look with Hutch. "Did you happen to see if he left in a car, or did he walk?"  
"Now that I caught. He had one Hell of a ride; let me tell you. It was a black 1968 Plymouth Barracuda, with red interior. That was a sharp car! It was parked just down the street and I could see it from here. He took off toward the docks. I'm sorry officer; that's all I know."  
Hutch sighed. "That's OK. You did fine. I doubt that you'll see him again, but if you do, here's my card. Try to stall him if you can, but don't push it. Just call the number on that card and let us do the rest."  
"Sure. Hey, what did he do?"  
Starsky turned around. "Nothing. We just don't like his taste in flowers."  
They waited until they were in the car before speaking. Hutch looked over at his partner. "Well, at least we got something out of this mess. That's not the car he drove before he went to prison, is it?"  
Starsky shook his head. "He was driving a sedan of some kind. If he'd had the Barracuda, we'd remember it."  
"Well, he's not too worried about being spotted, or he wouldn't be driving around in something that noticeable. Let's get it on the air. There can't be too many cars that fit that description in this city."  
They put the information on the air and went back to the station. Hutch told the two women what they had found out.  
"Wait a minute. Where did he get the car?"  
"We don't know that yet, Mick. We ran a check on the car through the DMV. It could take a while, since we don't have the license number."  
"Oh, come on. How many black Barracuda's can there be in this city? No, don't answer that. So here we sit, while Danny makes fools of us all. And they say history never repeats itself."

Tommy Carruthers drove the black Barracuda around the small framed house and parked it in the garage. He used his key to let himself into the back door. He threw the keys down on the table and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. He grinned at the tall young man that was standing in the doorway.  
"Hey, thanks Carl, for letting me borrow the 'Cuda. That's one sharp ride you got there."  
"Any time, Tommy. I wouldn't have it if you hadn't put in a good word for me with your boss. Mr. DiConti likes his people to drive around in style. How did it go?"  
"Couldn't have been better. Stage one is complete. By the time I'm finished, Micki and that blonde bitch of a partner are going to be sorry they ever crossed Tommy Carruthers."  
"She must have really done you wrong, Tommy. I mean, breaking out of prison and coming back here was a huge risk. Every cop in this city is going to be looking for you."  
"I ain't worried about the cops, Carl. I got away from them once; I'll do it again. I should have taken care of Micki a long time ago. I bought her that house, and I was willing to take care of her, but she wouldn't leave that damn job. By the time I get done with her, she's going to wish she'd never been born. The same thing goes for that partner of hers. I never liked that blonde bitch anyway, and that was before she shot me. They're going to think they died and went to Hell already before I'm finished. Then, we'll see where Mr. DiConti wants us to go next. Before you know it, we'll have a new business started in a new city. This one's getting a little too hot for me."  
"Sure, Tommy. I'm ready to go whenever you say the word. This town's become a real drag for me, too."  
"Just hang loose, Carl. I'll be starting stage two before long. I want all the loose ends tied up before we go."  
Starsky and Hutch sat in the squad room, watching the report from the DMV scroll across the computer screen. After several hours, they had narrowed down the list of Barracuda owners to ten possible suspects. Since Tommy Carruthers had been in prison for three months, it was obvious that he wouldn't be listed as the owner. They tried crosschecking the car titles with the names of DiConti's known associates, but came up empty.   
Starsky frowned at his partner. "Well, looks like he's managed to cover his tracks, as usual. I got to give this scum one point; he's smooth. No wonder it took over two years to catch him. He doesn't miss a trick."  
"Yeah, well, his luck has to run out sometime. He's so bent on getting the girls that he's bound to make a mistake sooner or later."  
"Let's hope it's sooner rather than later. We don't need another string of body's a-la Tommy Carruthers."  
"You got that right, partner."  
Hutch sat back and thought out loud. "Well, we know that a lot of Carruthers' men went to prison with him. So, I'd say he's probably made connections with a few new ones. How do we find out who they are?"  
Starsky replied, "I have a suggestion, but you're not going to like it."  
"Now, Starsk, how do you know that I'm not going to like it before you even tell me what it is? Go on, spit it out. I'm open to any suggestions at this point."  
Starsky sighed then said, "OK, I'll tell you. We need to find out what DiConti and his men have been up to while Carruthers has been in prison. The fastest way to do that is to talk to Benton."  
Hutch stared at his partner for a moment. "You're right; I don't like it."  
"Hutch, you know that the Feds have been watching DiConti and Carruthers for over two years. I'm sure that they're still keeping an eye on things. Micki and Tracy may have crippled the organization, but they didn't destroy it. If anyone can point us in the right direction, it will be Benton."  
Hutch slammed his fist on the desk, and stood up. He paced around the office. "Benton is the one who got Micki into this mess! He didn't give a damn about the danger he put her in before. Why do you think he'd care now?"  
Starsky went to stand in front of his best friend. He looked directly into Hutch's eyes. "Look, I know that Benton is about as emotional as that wall over there, but I don't think he'll stand back and watch Carruthers go after the girls. I overheard what he said to Micki before she wore that wire into Carruthers' house. He really WAS worried about her. You were too occupied to notice it."  
"Yeah, well, I wasn't too occupied to notice how he kept her in that whole nightmare for six months. He worried more about taking DiConti down than he did her safety."  
"Well, if you feel that way about him, why don't we appeal to his professional side? I'm sure he'll do anything to get Carruthers back behind bars, and put another chink in DiConti's organization."  
Hutch sighed as the anger left him. "I guess you have a point. We've been so busy with our other cases that we haven't kept up with DiConti's movements. OK, we'll go talk to him. But, so help me, Starsk, if he says one wrong word, I'll deck him. I haven't forgotten the remarks he made about Micki and me."  
Starsky grinned. "It won't be the first time that you two went at it. Seriously, though, Benton is our best bet. We could chase our tails for weeks without coming up with any new leads. You might try to hold your temper for a little while, partner."  
Hutch scowled back. "I'm not making any promises, Starsky, but I'll try for the girls' sake."  
Hutch and Benton eyed each other warily as Starsky filled the FBI agent in on Carruthers' activities. Benton motioned for them to sit down while he checked his files. He opened a file and read it over quickly.  
"We've been keeping an eye on this area for any resurgence of activities while Carruthers has been in prison. We've seen very little movement. DiConti must be keeping a lid on everything while he re-groups. Aside from illegal betting and some protection rackets, there hasn't been much going on."  
Starsky sighed. "Well, that figures. DiConti's been in business too long to start making mistakes now. The only solid lead that we have now is a black 68 Plymouth Barracuda. We know that Carruthers doesn't own it. We're trying to find out who does. We're hoping that whoever does own it will lead us to Carruthers. If we're real lucky, we may even find Carruthers when we find the car."  
"I assume you've run a search through the local DMV."  
Hutch bit back a retort then said calmly, "Yes, we have. We eliminated all the owners except for ten. We were hoping that we could crosscheck those ten names with any new associates of DiConti."  
Benton handed Hutch a sheet of paper, carefully not touching his hand. "We haven't been able to compile much of a list, but you're welcome to it. If you want to know the truth, my section chief has been worried about the lack of activity. We're afraid that DiConti may be planning to leave the area and set up somewhere else. If he does that, with Carruthers in charge, it will put us back to square one. Believe me, that is the last thing that we want. If there is any way that we can help put Carruthers back where he belongs, just ask."  
Starsky stood up and headed for the door, with Hutch close behind. He turned back to Benton.  
"Thanks, we'll keep that in mind. If we hear anything, we'll pass it along. We want Carruthers back where he belongs, too."  
As Starsky opened the door, Benton spoke again. "Look, Hutchinson, I know you won't believe this, but I'm really sorry this happened. We're looking into how Carruthers managed to escape in the first place. We would never have gotten this far if it weren't for Micki and Tracy. I hope you catch him soon."  
Hutch thought for a moment then simply replied, "Yeah, so do I."  
Starsky and Hutch took the list of names that Benton had given them and went back to the Task Force offices. They compared it to the list that they had gotten from the DMV. After a few minutes, Starsky looked at his partner and grinned.  
"Well, what do you know? We finally got lucky, partner."  
Hutch grinned back. "It's about time."  
The only name that appeared on both lists was Carl Wilkins. They quickly ran his name through R &amp; I and came up with a rap sheet.   
Starsky said sarcastically, "Now, why doesn't this surprise me? He's been busted for gambling, petty theft, public drunk, and assault. He sounds like the perfect flunkie for Carruthers, dumb with a mean streak down his back."  
"He reminds me of Richie Sarpedo. It sounds just like him."  
"You'd think DiConti would learn from his mistakes. Well, let's go see if he's still at this address. Wouldn't it be something if Carruthers was there, too?"  
Hutch snorted. "It would, but I doubt we'll get that lucky."  
The two detectives left a message for Captain Dobey, letting him know where they were going, and headed for Carl Wilkins' house. When they arrived at the small house, the Barracuda was parked in the driveway beside the house. As they parked next to the curb, a man walked out and got into the car.  
Hutch exclaimed, "That's Carruthers!"  
Before they could get out of the Torino, Carruthers started the black car and pulled out of the driveway.  
"Follow him, Starsky. Don't lose him!"  
Starsky stepped on the gas and caught up with Carruthers just as he was turning the corner. The escaped felon speeded up suddenly, and turned again, with Starsky close behind him.  
Hutch swore. "Damn it, he's on to us. I don't know how he fixed us as cops, but something spooked him. Stay with him Starsk."  
"I'm trying, buddy, but this is a residential neighborhood, not the freeway. We can't risk hitting a pedestrian."  
"I know, Starsk, but I sure as Hell don't want to lose him. I'll see if I can get some help."  
Hutch put out an APB on the Barracuda and urged all units in the area to be on the alert for the vehicle. A few blocks later, they left the suburb and entered the downtown area. As soon as the road expanded to three lanes, Carruthers increased his speed. Recklessly, he wove in and out of traffic, narrowly missing several cars. Starsky stayed as close as possible without causing an accident himself.   
Suddenly, Hutch knew where he was going. "He's headed for the docks, Starsky. For God's sake, don't lose him now. We'll never pick up his trail again if you do."   
Starsky speeded up and passed the only car that was between the Torino and the Barracuda. Carruthers stomped on the gas pedal and the Barracuda jumped ahead. The smell of burning rubber filled the air as he turned the next corner on two wheels. Before Starsky could follow him, a semi truck pulled out of an adjacent parking lot and into the path of the Torino. Starsky stood on the brakes and barely avoided hitting the truck.   
Hutch stuck his head out of the passenger side window and shouted, "Get out of the way! Police! Move, will you!"  
The driver made an obscene gesture and leisurely moved his vehicle out of the Torino's path. Starsky completed the turn, then stopped in the middle of the street. He and Hutch looked both ways, but the Barracuda had disappeared.  
Hutch threw his hands up in the air. "I don't believe this! We almost had him!"  
Starsky shrugged, "He's as slick as ever, or as lucky. It's a safe bet he won't go back to Wilkins' house now. He might even ditch the car and get another one now that he knows we're after him. So, what do you want to do?"  
Hutch sighed. "I don't know. We've still got that list that Benton gave us. Let's go back to the station and run through those names. We'll have Huggy put some feelers out and see if any of them are in contact with Carruthers, too."  
"OK, sounds like a plan. We'd better touch base with Dobey and the girls while we're at it. They're not going to be too happy that Carruthers is still on the loose, but they need to know anyway."  
"Yeah, I guess so. I just thought of something. What's Carruthers doing down here, anyway?"  
"That's a good question, Ollie. Maybe one of his friends can tell us."  
While Starsky and Hutch were staking out Carl Wilkins' house, Micki and Tracy were meeting with one of their snitches about another case. 'Weasel' Tompkins was a small man with a long nose and narrow, deep set eyes. When he was nervous, this was most of the time, his eyes darted around constantly and his nose twitched at the same time. The two women walked into the arcade that was Weasel's usual hang out, and went to the back of the room. As they had expected, Weasel was playing one of the games close to the back exit.  
"Hey, Weasel, how's it going?"  
Weasel shook his head quickly, without stopping his game. "Not now, I'm winning here."  
Micki threw a disgusted look at her partner. She snapped at the snitch. "Fine. You called us, remember? We've got better things to do than watch you play that stupid game. What did you do, con some poor teenage kid out of his money so you could play?"  
Weasel stopped his feverish movements and turned to the girls. "Hey, what's with the attitude? Haven't I always been straight with you in the past? I always give you guys' hot tips. And, I don't steal from kids. I got better morals than that."  
Micki sighed and softened her voice. "Yeah, I know you do, Weasel. It's just that we're working on something heavy right now. I didn't mean to take it out on you. So, what's up?"  
"You know that guy that you busted? Corey Sims? Word on the street is that you can't find the knife he used to slit that bookie's throat or the money he snatched from the guy."  
Tracy nodded slowly, "That might be true. So?"  
Weasel wrinkled his nose, and grinned. "Well, I just MIGHT know where you can find the knife AND the money."  
Micki grinned back. "OK, you've got our attention. Just where would they be?"  
Weasel's eyes darted around the room. "Uh-uh, not until you tell me what it's worth. I figure it should be worth a hundred at least. A couple of my buddies were in the bar the other night when Corey's mouthpiece was blowing his own horn. He said that the DA doesn't have squat against Corey and that he'd be out of jail by the end of the month."  
Micki smiled dangerously, "Oh, he said that, did he? Well, I'll tell you what Weasel. We'll give you a hundred now, and if we find what we're looking for, we'll give you another hundred as a bonus. How's that sound?"  
Weasel's tiny little eyes opened wide. "Two hundred bucks?! Man, you must want this guy bad! You got a deal! Sims stashed the stuff in a warehouse by the docks. It's that old one at the end of Pier 7, where the floating craps games always are. He's got a buddy that runs one of the games. The stuff's in a barrel close to the office. I'll draw you a map so you can find the right barrel. And don't worry; I got this stuff from a good source. The tip's kosher, I swear."  
Tracy handed him the money, and nodded. "OK, Weasel, we'll take your word on that. If we find the knife and the money where you say it is, we'll be back tomorrow with your bonus. Now, draw us that map and we'll go check it out."  
Twenty minutes later, Micki was on the radio to Captain Dobey, informing him of the new lead.  
Dobey bellowed over the radio. "Do you mean to tell me you gave him a hundred dollars BEFORE you checked his tip out? And you promised him another hundred as a bonus? Are you NUTS, Ellis?"  
Micki tried to soothe her irate Captain. "Cap, Weasel is a harmless little man and his tips have always been hot in the past. He's not going to pull a fast one on us. He doesn't have the nerves for it. The only time we hear from him is when he has something really hot. You have to admit that our case against Sims is pretty shaky. If we get the murder weapon and the money, that would make it air-tight. Sims couldn't wriggle out of it then. I think it's worth the risk."  
Dobey lowered his voice slightly. "All right, you've got a point. IF we get the weapon and the money, it will be worth the two hundred. But, that tip better be SCORCHING, or the hundred is coming out of YOUR pocket, Micki."  
Micki winced. "Yes, sir. It will be, sir."  
She signed off and turned to Tracy. "I guess he wasn't too happy."  
Tracy grinned, "That's putting it mildly. Why did you offer Weasel the other hundred, Micki? We could have given him fifty now, and fifty when we found the evidence."  
Micki shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because I jumped down his throat. He's never stiffed us before. I shouldn't have taken our troubles out on him. It's not Weasel's fault that we can't find Danny."  
"We'll find him, Micki. It might take some time, but we'll put Danny back in a cage where he belongs."  
"Yeah, I know. But how long is it going to take? I can't handle being in this nightmare for another six months."   
Tracy shook her head. "It won't be that long, Micki. We'll get him long before that, if we have to go after him ourselves. It's you and me against the world, sis."  
She held out her hand with her little finger hooked and Micki did the same.   
With pinky fingers clasped together, Micki replied, "Forever and always, kid, as usual."

Micki and Tracy waited for the back-up units to arrive, then went into the warehouse. Weasel had assured them that the warehouse would be empty until later on that night, when the game started. The warehouse was dim, with no windows close to the office. Micki turned on a flashlight so they could make their way to the right place. Using the map that Weasel gave them, the two detectives found the evidence where Weasel had said it would be. They bagged the evidence carefully to preserve any possible prints, and turned it over to the uniformed officers. Micki sat down on the barrel once the evidence was safely on its way to the station.  
"Well, it's about time we got a break. At least Corey Sims won't be running around loose any more. Score one for the good guys."  
Tracy agreed. "It's a shame we can't be there when Corey's attorney gets the news. It might shake his confidence just a little."  
"Now that's an understatement if I've ever heard one. Come on, let's get back to the station. I want to make sure we get the reports into Dobey before he has another fit. We don't want any loose ends on this one."  
As the women started for the exit, the lights inside the warehouse suddenly came on. Instantly, Micki and Tracy drew their weapons.   
Danny's voice boomed over the old intercom system. "Now isn't that precious? Score one for the good guys. Glad I could help, baby-cakes."  
"What do you want, Danny?"  
"I wanted to see you two good cops in action. I thought I might learn something from you. Aren't you glad that I'm still interested in what you're doing, baby-cakes? Didn't you miss me?"  
"About as much as an abscessed tooth."  
"Now, Micki, you're going to hurt my feelings if you keep talking like that. I thought we had something going."  
"In your dreams, punk. You were a job to me, that's all."  
"Bull. You can't tell me you didn't feel anything, Micki. Nobody held a gun to your head when you jumped into bed with me."  
Tracy saw how his comment affected her partner, so she tried to divert his attention to her.   
"What's the matter, scum? Are you too scared to show yourself? You don't have any innocent girls to hide behind now, do you? Why don't you come out and face us like a man?"  
"Shut up, bitch! This doesn't concern you. You couldn't stand watching me and Micki, so you turned her against me. I ain't going to forget that, either."  
Micki looked around for the hidden speaker. "You're wrong, Danny. You were the one who messed things up. You wanted to own me and when you couldn't, you broke into my apartment and threatened me. When I found out who you really were, I decided to go after you. It was MY idea, not Tracy's. I wanted you behind bars, and that's where I put you."  
"Who are you trying to fool, baby-cakes? You couldn't get enough of me. You begged me for it. You know you did."  
"That's a lie! I didn't want you near me! You made my skin crawl when you touched me."  
"Sure, that's why you stayed around for so long. You're kidding yourself, baby-cakes. I was more than just a job to you. You wanted me then, and you still want me now."  
"You're wrong, Danny! You're an animal. You're scum. I took you off the streets once and I'll do it again."  
"Sure, just keep telling yourself that. I know it isn't true."  
"You're crazy, Danny! I hate you! I'LL DIE BEFORE I LET YOU TOUCH ME AGAIN!"  
"If that's the way you want it, baby-cakes."  
The intercom clicked off and the lights went out. Micki stood in the darkness and shivered. She hugged herself and moved closer to her partner.  
As soon as they got the call from Dobey telling them what had happened, Starsky and Hutch rushed to the warehouse. Starsky parked the Torino behind the patrol cars, and ran to catch up with Hutch. Dobey was waiting for them inside the building.  
Hutch stopped just long enough to ask, "Where are they?"  
Dobey pointed to the small office. "In there, Hutch."  
Hutch ran into the room, leaving Starsky and Dobey behind.  
Starsky asked, "What have we got, Cap?"  
Dobey shook his head. "He's long gone, Starsky, if he was ever here. We checked the intercom system. It was disconnected a long time ago. Carruthers must have re-wired it and patched into the telephone. He was probably calling from a pay phone. He could have been a block away, or ten miles away. Who knows?"  
Starsky muttered under his breath. "Terrific."  
Tracy met Hutch as he entered the office.   
Hutch kept his voice low. "How is she, Tracy?"  
"She's trying not to show it, but she's really shaken up. He was pretty graphic, Hutch. He really knew which buttons to push."  
Hutch clenched his fists and growled, "If I ever get my hands on that son-of-a-bitch, I'll push his buttons. I might even forget I'm a cop."  
Tracy laid her hand on his arm. "That's not going to solve anything, Hutch. Micki needs you right now. The last thing she would want is for you to get into trouble over him. He's not worth it."  
The blonde detective sighed. "I know, Tracy. I just hate to see what he's doing to her."  
"The best way for you to help her is to go by the book. Put him back where he belongs, and keep him there."  
"Well, that's what we intend to do. It won't be soon enough for me. I think I'd better get her out of here."  
Tracy nodded. "Why don't you take her home? I'll go back to the station with David and see what we can find out."  
"All right. Let me know if anything comes up."  
"I will. Just keep her away from Danny. I think we've had enough for one day."  
Hutch walked over to Micki. He kneeled down in front of her.   
"How are you doing, sweetheart?"  
Micki looked down at the floor, refusing to meet his eyes. When she spoke, her voice was devoid of emotion.  
"He said that I begged for it. He said that nobody held a gun to my head when I jumped into bed with him."   
She looked at him then. It was a look of pure agony. "He was right. No one did. What does that say about me?"  
He held her face gently in his hands. "Don't do this to yourself, Mick. He's just yanking your chain. Come on, let's go home."  
He held her close as they walked out of the warehouse. Tracy followed close behind, and Starsky was waiting for them at the door. Once they were outside, Micki looked around slowly.  
Starsky reassured her. "He's not here, Mick. There's a good chance he never was. He rigged the intercom system. Don't worry. He's not going to follow you home."   
Micki turned to Hutch and buried her face in his chest. "I wish he would. I wish he'd find me. I just want to get it over with. I can't take this anymore."  
Hutch tightened his arms around her. "Just hold on for a while longer, Micki. We'll get him, I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

Hutch unlocked the door and stepped aside to let Micki enter the apartment. She dropped her coat on the couch and walked to the greenhouse. She leaned against the railing, staring at the stars. Hutch followed and stood quietly beside her.   
Softly, he asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want me to fix something to eat?"  
Micki shook her head. "No, I don't want anything."  
"You can't go all day without eating. How about some soup? We've got some ham in the fridge. I could make us a couple of sandwiches."  
Micki's eyes flashed briefly. "I said...! " Then she shrugged. "Fine. Whatever."  
She ate the soup and sandwich mechanically. She kept her eyes down, refusing to look at Hutch. All of his attempts at casual conversation failed. She crossed her arms and rubbed them, trying to warm herself. Suddenly, she jumped up.   
"I'm going to take a shower." Micki took her nightclothes out of the drawer and ran into the bathroom. She turned the water on and stepped into the stall. Danny's voice echoed in her mind.   
"You begged me for it! You couldn't get enough of me. No one put a gun to your head."  
She shook her head violently. "No!!!" She reached up and turned the cold water off, and scrubbed herself vigorously. She chanted a mantra under her breath. "I won't let him touch me again. I won't. I won't. "   
After the water turned cold, Micki dried herself and dressed. She put on the oversized bathrobe, to cover her scalded body. She walked to the living room and sat on the couch, curling her legs under her in an attempt to make herself small. Hutch sat beside her, close but not touching. After an endless silence, Micki spoke in a monotone.   
"I didn't beg for it. I never wanted him to touch me. It wasn't until I decided to go undercover that I let him do anything more than kiss me. I knew when I moved in with him he'd expect me to let him...." She clenched her jaws. "I never begged for it."  
Hutch took both her hands in his right hand. He gently lifted her chin with his left. "Micki, you have to stop this. You didn't do anything wrong. You were undercover, on a case."  
"I know that. I knew what I had to do when I went into this. I told myself that it was just an assignment. I thought I could handle it." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I didn't know it would be this hard!"  
Hutch grasped her shoulders. "You are a cop. You were on an extremely dangerous case and you did what you had to do to stay alive. Micki, look at me. I said, look at me. Do you think you're the only one that's ever been in this situation? Starsky and I have both been undercover before. I've done some things that I haven't been proud of, too. I've kicked myself for the things I had to do. It's called 'being on the job'. You're beating yourself up over something that wasn't your fault. It's over. The only thing we have to do now is put Carruthers back in prison. Rehashing the past isn't going to do that. Accept what you did and move on. You are NOT the criminal. Carruthers is."  
Her mouth trembled and her eyes shined with tears. "But he said..."  
"He's trying to break you down! You're a psychologist. Think about this for a minute. Imagine a patient that was going through the same ordeal. If she were blaming herself, what would you say? Carruthers is psychotic. He loves to terrorize women. He torments them and feeds on their pain. Stop playing his game. Get rid of him, once and for all, and get on with your life."  
Micki nodded slowly and attempted a smile. "I'll try. Just don't be mad at me, OK? I couldn't handle that right now."  
Hutch took her in his arms and held her close. "I'm not mad at you, Mick. I hate what he's doing to you. He's not worth it. Don't let him win."  
After Hutch took Micki back to their apartment, Starsky and Tracy went back to the station to fill out their reports. Starsky showed Tracy the list of names that Benton had given them.  
"The only hope we have is that Carruthers will be in touch with one of these people. Even if he doesn't ditch the car, it's a cinch that he won't go back to Wilkins' house."  
Tracy nodded. "Have you run any of these names through R &amp; I?"  
Starsky shook his head. "We were about to when we got the call from Dobey."  
"OK, let's run them and see if we can come up with anything. What about Huggy? Have you talked to him lately?"  
"Not since yesterday. If we come up with anything promising from R &amp; I, we'll go to the Pits and see if he's heard anything."  
They went through the list of names, making notes on each suspect. They put the photographs of the suspects in a small folder and went to the Pits.  
Huggy slowly went through the file, telling the detectives what he knew about each person. It didn't take long.  
He frowned as he handed the file back to Starsky. "Man, I'm sorry that I wasn't much help. Let me do some checking around. If I find out Carruthers is hanging with any of these dudes, I'll let you know, pronto."  
Starsky nodded. "Thanks, Hug. Right now, we're fresh out of leads."  
"I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best. You and Micki hang in there, Tracy. Don't let this snake get you down."  
Tracy smiled sadly. "We're trying not to, Huggy, but it isn't easy."  
Starsky put his arm around her waist and pulled her close. He nodded at Huggy.   
"It's getting late. What we need right now is a good night's sleep. Huggy, if you hear anything, let us know. Dobey will know how to reach us."  
"You got it, bro'."  
Starsky took Tracy home. He opened the door, and let her walk in first.   
"Hey, are you hungry? I don't know about you, but that sandwich I had for lunch is long gone."  
Tracy shook her head. "Not really, but it has been a while since I ate. If you want to whip something up, I'm game. I think I'll take a shower while you cook. OK?"  
"Sure, go ahead. You look beat. Maybe a hot shower will relax you."  
Starsky rummaged in the refrigerator and pulled out a meatloaf that Tracy had cooked the day before. He made two sandwiches, and grabbed a bag of potato chips. By the time Tracy finished with her shower, two plates of food were waiting on the counter. Determined to put the events of the day behind them, Starsky made small talk while they ate. He put the dirty dishes in the sink, and gave her a hug.  
"I think I'll grab a shower before we hit the sack. I'll only be a minute."  
Tracy smiled wanly. "OK, I am kind of tired."   
Starsky silently congratulated himself as he showered. Tracy's spirits had improved with the meal and shower. Maybe they could finish the evening without mentioning the Carruthers case. Tomorrow, they would concentrate on finding the felon and putting the whole episode behind them. His good mood evaporated when he saw Tracy sitting on the couch, her gun disassembled in front of her.  
He sat down beside her. "Hey, what're you doin'?"  
"Cleaning my gun."  
Starsky put his arm around her. He pulled her close to him. "You don't have to do that tonight, do you?"  
Tracey dropped the rag she was holding. Softly, she asked, "Have you ever killed anyone, David, in the line of duty?"  
"Yes. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do."  
"I never have. Micki and I wanted to go through our whole careers without killing anyone." Her smile was grotesque. "Isn't that ridiculous?"  
Starsky pulled her head against his shoulder. "No, it's not ridiculous. I think it's admirable."  
Tracy sat up straight and looked at him. "He's going to make us kill him. He's going to come after us and he won't stop until we kill him."  
"I won't let that happen, Tracy. We'll get him, I promise."  
She threw her arms around him and held on tight. "I don't want to kill anybody! Keep him away from us, David, please. Just keep him away."

The next morning, Hutch quietly slipped out of bed and made himself a pot of coffee. As he sipped the hot brew, he thought about the nightmares that had plagued Micki for most of the night. A knock at the door brought him back to the present. He answered it quickly; putting a finger to his lips as Starsky and Tracy walked inside.   
"Micki's still asleep. She had a rough night. Those damned nightmares are back and they're getting worse." He sighed then changed the subject. "You two want some coffee?"  
Starsky nodded, but Tracy shook her head. "I'll have a soda, if you have one, Ken."  
Ken smiled slightly. "Sorry. I forgot you're not a coffee drinker. One coffee and one soda coming up."  
He sat the refreshments on the small kitchen table and motioned for them to sit down. After he placed cream, sugar and a spoon in front of Starsky, he joined them at the table.   
He looked at them expectantly. "Well, does anyone have any ideas where we go from here?"  
Starsky shook his head. "We went over the list of known associates that Benton gave us and we even showed the list to Huggy, but no go. Huggy said he'd let us know if he hears anything, but that's it."  
Tracy took a drink of her soda. "You know, Danny said something last night that I didn't catch until now. He said, 'glad I could help'. Now, what did he mean by that?"  
Starsky stirred his coffee. "Do you think he had something to do with that tip you got?"  
Tracy shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time that he threw us a bone to manipulate us. Do you remember how he let us catch Pernell Mason? He's the fence we picked up with the stolen merchandise from that department store robbery. Danny thought if he sacrificed the fence that it would throw us off his track. Maybe he gave us that tip because he wanted to make sure we showed up at the warehouse last night."  
Hutch nodded slowly. "It makes sense, considering the Sims case has nothing to do with Carruthers. He could care less if Corey Sims goes to prison. All he wanted was you two in that warehouse so he could intimidate you."  
Tracy smiled ruefully. "Well, he intimidated us, all right. Danny doesn't care about anyone as long as he gets what he wants."  
Starsky patted her hand solicitously. "Well, we don't always get what we want, do we? Think back, Tracy. Did Weasel happen to mention Carruthers?"  
"No, all he said was he got the tip from a reliable source. Still, it wouldn't be hard for Danny to drop the hint to someone else and pay them to take it to Weasel. That way, he stays out of it."  
Hutch refilled his and Starsky's cups. "So, we go pay a little visit to Weasel. We get him to reveal his source and see if it goes back to Carruthers."  
Tracy shook her head in protest. "If you guys go in that arcade and Weasel spots you, he'll run and we'll never see him again. I'll go back and talk to him. I'll wear a wire so we can keep in touch, but you two have to stay out of sight."  
Starsky spoke up. "I don't like it. What if Carruthers is hanging around? I don't like you being out in the open like that."  
A voice spoke from behind them. "I have a better idea. Why don't we both go talk to him?"  
Micki stood in the doorway to the bedroom, holding her robe together with one hand. Hutch got up and went to her. He led her to the table, grabbed another mug from the cupboard and filled it with coffee. Micki sat down with Hutch close beside her.  
Hutch said gently. "Are you sure you feel up to that, Mick?"  
She shrugged. "Tracy's right. Weasel won't talk to you and Dave. You'll just scare him off. He'll be less likely to run if he sees us. He still has his bonus coming to him, anyway. He won't be so skittish if we wave money in front of his face."  
Hutch sighed and traded looks with his partner. "OK, we'll do it your way, but I want you out of there at the first sign of trouble. We'll see if we can requisition a surveillance van so we can park right outside the arcade. We need a signal to let us know if you need us."  
Micki and Tracy spoke in unison, remembering a similar situation. "How about 'Help'?" For the first time since Carruthers escaped, the two women laughed out loud.  
Starsky grinned. "I think that might be a tad obvious. How about sayin' something like 'we're leaving'? 'Cause if you spot Carruthers, that's what you'd better do."  
Tracy looked at Micki, who nodded. "Sounds good to me."  
Starsky got up. "OK, how about me and Tracy checking on that van while you two get dressed? We'll meet you at the station in a bit."  
Hutch walked them to the door. "You'd better check with Dobey while you're at it. He'll have a fit if you don't."  
Starsky rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot, buddy. You know he's going to have a fit anyway when he hears what we're planning to do. I can hear him now."  
Hutch grinned at his partner. "That's what friends are for."  
He closed the door and went back into the kitchen. Micki had picked up the cups and set them in the sink. Hutch put his arms around her and held her close.  
"Are you sure you want to do this, Mick? You didn't get much sleep last night. We can put this off for a little while if you want to."  
She shook her head. "No, I'm OK, really. If I'm going to go on with my life like you said, I have to get Danny back behind bars. Right now, Weasel is our only lead. Someone gave him that tip and it sounds like Danny had a hand in it. So, maybe if we find out who Weasel's source is, we can find Danny. I don't know what else to do."  
He turned her around and kissed her tenderly before he stepped back. "OK, why don't you jump in the shower while I fix us something to eat? It looks like it's going to be another long day."  
"I'm not really hungry, but I guess I should eat something. OK, I won't be long."  
Two hours later, a white van with "Bugbuster's" written on the side pulled up in front of the arcade and parked. A black plastic cockroach sat on the roof of the van, hiding a large antenna. Starsky turned the vehicle off and joined Hutch in the back. Hutch was sitting in front of a radio receiver, wearing a set of headphones. Next to the radio was a TV monitor. Starsky sat down in the other chair and watched the screen. A few minutes later, Micki and Tracy walked down the street and entered the arcade.   
Weasel was in his usual spot in the back, concentrating on the game he was playing. He didn't notice the two girls until Micki dangled a hundred dollar bill in front of him.  
His eyes widened, and he snatched the bill. "Hey, Micki, you found the stuff, huh? It was right where I told you it would be, wasn't it?"  
"It sure was, Weasel. You did good. By the way, who gave you the tip? We wanted to thank whoever it was. The DA was really happy to get that stuff. You wouldn't mind telling us your source's name, would you?"  
Weasel swallowed. "I don't know, Micki. I wouldn't want him to think I squealed on him. You wouldn't bust him, or anything, would you?"  
Tracy smiled sweetly. "No, we're not interested in arresting anybody. You and your source helped us out a lot. We just wanted to talk to the guy, that's all."  
"Why? Maybe I can help you out."   
Micki's expression grew serious. "Weasel, we're going to level with you. After we found the stuff, and the other detectives took it down to the station, we had company in that warehouse. Do you know a guy by the name of Tommy Carruthers?"  
Weasel's face paled and he looked around frantically for a place to run. Micki caught him by his arm before he could move. Weasel licked his lips nervously.  
"Wh-why did ya ask me that? I don't have nothing to do with that guy. Honest. I'm just a little fish. What would a player like that be hanging around me for?"  
Tracy soothed the little man. "It's OK, Weasel; we're not accusing you of anything. We think Carruthers gave the tip to your source so he could manipulate us. He escaped from prison the other day and wants to get back at us for sending him off."  
"Honest, Tracy, I didn't have anything to do with that! You can ask Kyle. He's the guy that gave me the tip. I ran into him the other night and he asked me if I still snitched for you. I told him that I helped you out once in a while, and that's when he gave me the tip about Corey Sims. He didn't tell me where he got the information; he just told me where the stuff was hidden. He hangs around the bus stop down on 4th Street at night. He's a hooker. Knowing Kyle, he was with a trick the night he saw Corey's shyster in the bar."  
Tracy patted his arm. "OK, Weasel, thanks. Don't worry; we won't let him know that you told us who he was. You're not in any trouble and neither is Kyle. Now, what does he look like?"  
"He's taller than me, and has bleached blonde hair. He dresses real flashy, especially when he's working. You won't have any trouble pickin' him out of a crowd, believe me."  
Micki patted Weasel on the back. "Thanks, Weasel, we owe you one."  
The girls waved good-bye and walked out to the van. Micki looked around; making sure no one was looking then climbed into the van with Tracy close behind her.   
Micki stood beside Hutch. "Well, at least we have a name. I think we should talk to Kyle and see if he can lead us back to Danny."  
Starsky nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me. I doubt that Kyle will be around until later on tonight, so why don't we go back to the station and take care of the paperwork? Dobey wasn't too happy with us this morning. He might be a little happier if he knows we got a name."  
Hutch agreed. "Sure. Then we can grab a bite to eat and relax a while before we go see Kyle."  
Micki raised her eyebrow. "We? If Kyle gets a look at you two, he's going to think you're out to bust him. Tracy and I can change into something a little sexier, and talk to him without letting him know we're cops. I don't want him taking off before we even get close to him."  
Hutch started to protest. "I don't think that's a good idea. We won't be able to protect you in the kind of crowd that hangs out down there. You'd be like sitting ducks."  
Micki started to reply, but Tracy spoke first. "Ken, Micki's right. The only way we can get close to Kyle is if he thinks we're a couple of working girls. You and David can blend in with the crowd. You'll still be close enough to help if something goes wrong, but far enough away not to frighten Kyle. Besides, by the time we're finished with our disguise, Danny won't even recognize us."  
Hutch sighed. "OK, I can see that you're determined to do this. You'd better believe that Starsky and I will be close, and we'll be on you like white on rice at the first sign of trouble."  
Micki grinned. "We believe you. Although, I don't think Danny would risk showing up in public like that, especially down there. He's just as scummy as they are and somebody would probably recognize him."  
The two couples went back to the station and gave their reports to Captain Dobey. After filling him in then went to the Pits and had a quiet dinner. The girls left Starsky and Hutch at the Pits and went home to change.  
An hour later, there were two new "working girls" on the corner of 4th and Main. One was tall and blonde, dressed in a scarlet red mini-skirt and black halter top. The other girl was smaller, with long, dark hair cascading down her back. Her black leather pants hung on her hips, and her black halter top was covered in silver studs. Together, they cruised the area with long, sensuous strides. Both girls had small handbags hanging from their shoulders. Casually, they walked toward the blonde man standing on the corner. As they stopped beside the man, the blonde batted her eyelashes at him.  
"Hi, handsome. Would we be invading your turf if we stood here for a while?"  
The young man shrugged. "It's a free country. Stand where ever you want to. Besides, I don't think we're after the same kind of company."  
The blonde's laugh was sultry. "I guess not. Have you had any luck tonight? My friend and I are kind of new here, and we were just wondering if this spot was hot. Time is money, after all, and we don't want to waste our time out here if nothing is happening."  
"Yeah, it's OK. It just depends on the crowd. This is a good time, because the bars are still open. If you wait until the bars close, everybody's too drunk and too broke to be any good."  
The brunette spoke for the first time. "What about the bars? Is it safe to work them, or will the owners give us a hard time?"  
"Well, that one bar down there, with the blue shutters, is OK. Barney won't kick you out as long as you don't flash it around. As long as somebody's buying the drinks, he doesn't care how long you stay. It's more money for him and that's all he cares about. Now that one across the street is bad news. He'll let you work his bar, but only if you cut him in on your profits. I made the mistake of doing that one night, and he ended up with most of that nights pay. He knew I couldn't do anything about it, like calling the law."  
Tracy smiled again. "Thanks, we appreciate the info. You really know this area. Have you been here long? By the way, I'm Julie and this is Kelly."  
Kyle smiled back. "Hi, I'm Kyle. Yeah, I've been here about two years now. I've worked all up and down Main Street. I like this spot the best because there aren't as many pimps around. Most of us are independent. The cops don't roust us to much, either. There's too much other stuff going on down here. They're not too worried about a few hookers hanging around."  
Micki nodded. "Yeah, we've been hearing about all the action down here. To tell the truth, we were kind of nervous about coming down to this part of town. We don't want to end up with some freak. We're not into the kinky stuff."  
"Nah, you don't got to worry about that down here. The dealers hang out mostly in the alleys, and the bookie's close up shop before dark."  
Tracy smiled at a man walking down the street, then rolled her eyes when he rushed by. She turned back to Kyle. "Wasn't there a bookie that was killed a little while ago? One of the girls in our old neighborhood was telling us about it. That wasn't down here, was it?"  
"No, it was on the other end of Main. Anyway, they got the guy that did it. The cops are gettin' ready to send him up the river."  
"Well, that makes me feel better. You don't think he'll get off , do you?"  
Kyle looked smug. "He might have, but I made sure he wouldn't."   
Tracy looked at him, her eyes wide. "You did? What did you do?"  
"I got this hot tip the other day, and I whispered it in a buddy's ear. He turned it over to the cops. I made more money that night than I'd made all week."  
"Oh yeah? How'd you do that?"  
"It was really funny. This guy I used to hang around with saw me in the V Room and told me he'd give me two hundred bucks to pass the tip on to this snitch I know."  
Micki grinned. "Wow, two hundred bucks for a tip? That guy must be loaded. Hey, he didn't want you to give him a freebie for it, did he?"  
Kyle laughed. "Nah, Tommy's not that kind of guy. He likes the wall-flower type. I guess he gets off on hero worship or something. Anyway, he just told me that he wanted to help out an old friend, but he didn't want her to know it was him. I gave the tip to Weasel, and he got two hundred bucks, too. So everybody was happy."  
Tracy giggled. "Looks like we've been working the wrong side of town. Say, this guy Tommy wouldn't be interested in having a good time, would he? Just for fun, I mean. Like I said, we're new here and don't know many people."  
"I don't know. Tommy is always busy doing one thing or another. And I get the feeling he's hiding from the cops."  
Micki glanced at her partner. "The cops? Why? What did he do?"  
"He got into some trouble a few months ago and got sent up. He says he's out on parole, but I don't think he's telling the truth. I mean, he wasn't in the pen that long. I think he might have escaped."  
"You're kidding! He must be a real player. Does he hang around here a lot?"  
"I think he's staying at Dempsey's Hotel, on 4th and Temple. I've seen him come out of there a couple of times. Why? Do you girls want to party with Tommy and me?"  
Tracy sighed. "We'd love to, but if we don't make some money fast, we're going to get kicked out of our pad. Hey, if you're still around in a couple of days, maybe we can all get together then."  
"Sure, you know where to find me. I guess I'd better get back to it, too. The only thing bad about being independent is you don't have a free roof over your head. But then, you don't have anybody knocking you around, either."  
"You got that right. Well, we'd better stroll around some more. We'll see you around, Kyle."  
The girls waved at the young man and strutted down the street. They waited until Kyle's attention was focused on a passing car then ducked into an alley. They jumped into the back seat of the Torino and hid in the shadows. Ten minutes later, Starsky and Hutch joined them.   
Micki was elated. "Finally, we get a real break! I think we should stake out that hotel and see if we can catch Danny coming out of it."  
Hutch held up his hand. "Hold on there, Mick. Carruthers isn't dumb. He knows Starsky and me, and he knows this car. We'll turn this over to Dobey so he can assign someone else to watch Carruthers, someone he doesn't know is a cop."  
Micki scowled. "I don't like it, but I know you're right. We just found him, so we don't want him taking off again. But, if we do find him, I want to be there when you and Dave take him down."  
Hutch shook his head. "You can see him at the station. I don't want you anywhere near him until he's locked up safe and sound."  
Micki's eyes flashed. "I'm not a kid, Ken. You don't have to treat me with kid gloves. Considering all the Hell he's put me through, I have the right to be there when you take him into custody."  
"You have the right, I agree, but I'm not taking any chances with him. I'm not about to let my guard down until he's in handcuffs. He's too slippery out here on the street."  
Starsky cleared his throat. "Um, guys, we don't even have the guy staked out yet. Why don't we wait until we actually see Carruthers before we decide who's going to arrest him?"  
Micki reluctantly agreed. "OK, I guess we are jumping the gun a bit. But we're not finished with this yet, Ken. I'm the one Danny's after and I am NOT going to stay home and hide under the covers. I know you want to protect me, but I have to draw the line somewhere."  
Hutch wasn't giving in. "You're right; it's not finished yet. We'll talk about this later. I think it's time we called it a night. Let's go see Dobey and then we can go home."  
The four detectives gave their reports to Dobey and went back to their own apartments. Hutch reached above the doorframe and retrieved the spare key. Micki stood silently to one side, then walked past him into the living room. She went into the bedroom and pulled out her bedclothes, slamming the drawers shut as she headed for the bathroom. Hutch exhaled slowly and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He sat on the couch and rested his head against the back. He kept his eyes closed when the water stopped and Micki emerged from the bathroom.   
Without opening his eyes, Hutch asked quietly, "Would you like something to drink? I think there's some Chianti left in the cabinet."  
"No, I don't want anything. Thanks anyway."  
Hutch forced himself to get up. He walked over to Micki and gazed at her.   
"Micki, I'm not treating you like a child. I think it's too dangerous for you to be around Carruthers until he's in custody. I don't want anything to happen to you."  
"Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm a cop, too, Ken. I'm not some rookie fresh out of the academy. I fought Danny once, remember? He didn't get me then and he won't get me now."   
"I know that. All I'm asking is that you be careful. Let Starsky and me handle this scum. As soon as he's behind bars, you can see him. It will hurt his pride even more when he finds out you're the one who tracked him down."  
Micki looked up at him. "You don't understand. He took something away from me, and the only way I can get it back is to be there when he's arrested. Unless I can look him in the eyes when you put the handcuffs on, I'll never be free of him. I won't do anything stupid, I promise. I'll stay out of the way. I just need to be there."  
Hutch rubbed his forehead and then raised his hands, surrendering to her. "OK, if it means that much to you, but you damned well better be careful. If I so much as THINK you're going to pull anything, I'll lock you in the car."  
She smiled ruefully. "I believe you. Besides, Tracy would probably help you."  
Hutch reached out and ran his fingers through her long hair. Micki took his hand in hers and turned it palm up. Tenderly, she kissed his palm. Hutch drew her to him and kissed her passionately. Wordlessly, he picked her up and took her into their bedroom.  
He was sleeping soundly when a faint noise penetrated his subconscious. He opened his eyes and looked down at Micki. She was on her side, pressed up against him, with her arm across his chest. He could see rapid movements under her eyelids, which was a sign that she was dreaming. The soft whimpers that had awakened him were coming from her. He reached over and gently shook her.   
"Micki, wake up. You're having a nightmare. Come on, wake up."  
Her eyes flew open and she gasped. She sat up and scooted back in the bed until her back was against the headboard. Although her eyes were open, she clearly didn't recognize Hutch. He moved closer without touching her and talked quietly.  
"Micki, it's me, Ken. You're dreaming. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you. Come on now, wake up. Look at me."  
Micki shook her head and moaned softly. Hutch kept talking in soothing tones. Finally, she focused on his face. Her body relaxed and she released the breath she was holding. She pulled her knees up close to her and wrapped her arms around them. Exhausted, she leaned her head on her knees.   
Hutch kept his voice even. "You OK now?"  
Micki nodded without lifting her head.  
"Was it about Carruthers?"  
She nodded again.  
"Was it the same dream?"  
She shook her head, then looked up at him. "No. Tracy and I were back in the warehouse. Danny was there. He was laughing and calling us names. I told him not to come any closer, but he wouldn't stop. He had a gun. He said he was going to kill Tracy first to punish me. He aimed it at Tracy, so I shot him. It knocked him back a little, but then he started walking toward us again. No matter how many times I shot him, he just kept coming! I was afraid he was going to kill her, so I shot him again. Only this time, I shot him in the head."  
Hutch pulled her into his arms. He knew that Micki was against killing, even though she was a police officer. He remembered what she had told him one night when they were discussing the oath they both had taken.  
"I swore to protect and serve, not to kill. I will do whatever it takes to save someone from harm, but I think extreme force is a failure. If I have to kill a suspect, then I have failed somewhere along the way. I'm a cop and a psychologist. My job is to save lives, not to take them."  
As her words echoed in his mind, Hutch gently lifted her chin and looked in her eyes.   
"Could you do that, Mick?"  
She nodded slowly. "If I have to." She shuddered. "Then I'll have to try to live with myself."  
He held her close, trying to comfort her. Then he kissed her tenderly, and got out of bed.  
"Stay put. I'll be right back."  
Hutch went into the small kitchen and heated up some milk. He added cocoa to it and took it into Micki.  
"Here, drink this. Maybe it will help you sleep."  
She accepted the hot cocoa. "I don't think it will help, but thanks. I don't think I'll sleep again until Danny is back in prison."  
Despite her prediction, Micki was able to go back to sleep and the rest of the night passed quietly. The next morning, Hutch woke up and made coffee, hoping she would sleep a while longer. As the coffee was perking, he called Starsky.  
"Hello."  
"Hey, it's me. How's Tracy this morning?"  
"Puttin' on a good front. How about Micki?"  
"Not good. She had the latest in a series of nightmares about Carruthers. This one had a new twist. She killed him."  
"My God. I know how she feels about that. Tracy's thinking the same thing. He's really pushing them to the limit."  
"Yeah. Well, we'll just have to get him first. Did you talk to Dobey about the stake-out?"  
"Yeah, it's all set. Blandford and Reaves will take the first shift. He said he could spare three teams for a few days, but that's it. He said we could ask the Feds for help, but I said no."  
"Good. I don't want to bring them in on this unless we have to. If Kyle was right and Carruthers is staying in that dump, he should show himself fairly soon. You got any other ideas?"  
Starsky sighed. "No. I hate the thought of sittin' around just waiting for Carruthers to show up, but I don't know what else to do. At least the girls will be safe when they're with us."  
"Yeah, you're right about that. I hope he does show up soon. I don't know how long I can keep Micki off that corner. She's already stretched pretty thin."  
"Just keep her from going off the deep end, partner. We're doin' the right thing."  
Hutch glanced at the bedroom. He could see Micki stirring. "I hope so, buddy. Look, I think she's waking up, so I'd better get off here. If we don't hear anything by tonight, how about meeting at Huggy's? Maybe we can keep them occupied for a while."  
"Sure, how does seven o'clock sound?"  
"That's good. We'll see you then."  
He had barely replaced the receiver on it's cradle when Micki sat up in bed. Hutch pretended to be busy while watching her from the corner of his eye. Micki slipped into her robe and hugged herself again. Hutch wondered if she would ever feel warm, or safe, again.   
He called out a greeting. "Coffee's on if you want some."  
"Sure, just let me splash some water on my face. I'll be back in a sec."  
Micki walked into the bathroom and closed the door. The cold water felt good. She reached for a towel and dried her face. As she hung the towel back on the rack, she caught a glimpse of the mirror. Micki stood, transfixed, as the light in the mirror dimmed. Instead of her reflection, she saw her gun, hanging in mid-air. Danny's face floated into her sight, laughing at her. Her eyes widened as she saw the trigger on the gun pulled back, and she could see the flash as the gun fired. She turned away from the mirror and put her hands over her face. She shuddered and tried to dispel the image that she had seen. After taking several deep breaths, she composed herself enough to walk back into the kitchen.  
Micki carefully avoided Hutch's searching look. She stiffened slightly as he kissed her, then forced herself to relax. Hutch poured the coffee into a cup and handed it to her. She tried to hide her shaking hands from him, but he saw them anyway.  
"Micki, are you sure you're up to this? You're not in any condition to work."  
Her voice was tired. "I have to do this, Ken. We've been through this enough. I don't want to go over it again."  
Hutch massaged the back of his neck. "OK, I don't want to fight, either. I talked to Starsky. Dobey's OK'd the stakeout for a few days. Hopefully, it won't take that long for Carruthers to show himself. If nothing happens before tonight, we'll meet Starsky and Tracy at Huggy's for dinner. Is that OK with you? If you're not up to it, we can beg off."  
"No, that's OK. I sure don't want to sit around here for several days. I'd go stir crazy."  
Hutch smiled. "Then it's settled. In the meantime, why don't we just relax today? We need to get our minds off Carruthers for a while. We're doing everything we can."  
"Sure, I'm game if you are. It would be nice to think of something besides Danny for a while."  
Starsky hung up the phone as Tracy came out of the bedroom. He whistled in appreciation as he saw her. She was toweling her blonde hair, wearing only his robe.  
"Better be careful, schweetheart. You come out looking like that and I might start getting ideas."  
Tracy smiled sensuously. "Just what did you have in mind, big boy?"  
"I just might show you after breakfast."  
Tracy put her hand over her forehead. "Mom was right. The way to a man's heart IS through his stomach."  
Starsky grinned. "Well, a man's gotta eat to keep up his strength."  
Tracy laughed and gave him a kiss. She walked around to the bar and sat down.  
"Were you on the phone a minute ago? I thought I heard you talking to someone."  
"Yeah, Hutch called."  
"He did? How's Micki this morning?"  
Starsky watched the eggs he was scrambling. "She's OK."  
"David, look at me. How is she, really?"  
Starsky sighed. "She had some nightmares last night, but Hutch said she was sleepin' in this morning."  
"She was dreaming about Danny again, wasn't she?"  
"Yeah, she was, just like you were last night. I know this isn't easy for you, but you have to believe that Hutch and me will take care of this creep. We're not going to let him any where near you, Tracy."  
"I know you want to help, David, but Danny isn't after you. He's after us. We're the ones who put him away. Danny's not going to forget that. Micki's right. We can't go hide somewhere and hope this all goes away. He's not going to let us."  
"I know that, Trace. We're just tryin' to keep you safe. We're not going to lock you away. You'll be there when we take him down, but we have to do it the right way."  
Tracy took his hand in hers. "I know. I trust you, David. I want this whole mess to be over, that's all. I'm tired of worrying about Danny and I want to get my life back."  
He kissed the palm of her hand. "We'll get him, sweetheart. I promise. Now, come on, let's eat. I still want to know what's under that robe."  
Tracy smiled back at him. "Well, I guess you'll just have to find out after breakfast."  
The rest of the day was uneventful. Later that evening, the two couples met at The Pits for dinner. Micki and Tracy were in a better frame of mind, and even laughed at Huggy's pitiful jokes. They were getting ready to leave when the call came. Huggy answered the phone and motioned for Hutch. Micki and Tracy watched his face as he talked to the unknown caller. Hutch nodded once and hung up the phone. He had a determined look on his face as he walked back to the table.  
"That was Joe McDougal on the phone. He's with Ray Estes. They've got the hotel staked out and they think Carruthers just showed up. I told him we were on our way and to call for back-up."  
Micki grabbed her purse. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go."  
Hutch started to say something, then thought better of it. He traded glances with Starsky and followed the girls. Hutch slapped the mars light on the roof of the Torino and Starsky headed for the hotel. He pulled onto a side street a block before the hotel and switched off the ignition. Micki and Tracy got out of the car, but before they could start down the street, Hutch stepped in front of them. He pointed his finger at both girls.  
"Now look, you two. I want you to stay behind Starsky and me. We've got the place covered, so Carruthers isn't going to get away. Stay out of sight until we've got him in custody. Understand?"  
Micki nodded grudgingly. "Yeah, we understand, but don't lose him. If he gets away this time, we might as well hang it up."  
"We're not going to lose him, Mick. Just behave yourself and let us do the dirty work."  
The four detectives walked to the unmarked car parked in front of the building. McDougal and his partner were waiting for them.  
Hutch spoke quietly. "Is he still in there, Joe?"  
"Yep. I had Estes go in and check out the lobby. The desk clerk said 'Mr. Wilson' is in 319. The layout's pretty standard. The elevator's out, so we won't have to worry about it. The only way out the back is through the kitchen. We've got two officers covering the back door and two in the kitchen. We're ready whenever you are, Hutch."  
"OK, I want you and Estes to stay out here, with Micki and Tracy. We'll go up the stairs and see if we can get him to surrender. I don't expect him to give up without a fight, but we have to try. If he gets past us, do whatever it takes to keep him from escaping, but don't kill him unless you have to. I want him alive."  
"You got it, Hutch."  
The blonde detective started toward the front door, but Micki pulled him back.  
"Wait a minute, Ken. You know Danny's not going to give up. Why don't you let us go in with you, as back-up? It's too dangerous for you and Dave to go in alone."  
Hutch was stern. "We've already talked about this, Mick. Starsky and I will be careful. I want you to stay out here. We can't concentrate if we have to worry about you two. Besides, if he runs out this way, I won't have to worry about him getting past all four of you."  
Micki frowned back at him. "Fine, we'll do it your way. But, for God's sake, don't let him get away. I've had about all I can take."  
Hutch's expression softened. "I know you have. We'll get him, Mick, I promise. His luck has to run out sooner or later."  
"I hope it's sooner rather than later, for all our sake's."  
Starsky and Hutch drew their weapons and slowly climbed the stairs. As they reached the second landing, an older man came out of his room. Starsky showed the man his badge and held a finger to his lips. The man's eyes widened and he scuttled down the stairs. Hutch rolled his eyes at his partner and motioned with his head. The two detectives started up the stairway again.   
They reached the third floor without any problems. They stayed close to the walls as they searched for Carruthers' room. Room 319 was half-way down the hall, which didn't please either detective. If Carruthers did try to resist arrest, the noise would surely attract the attention of the other tenants. A shootout would endanger the lives of a lot of innocent people.   
Starsky held up a finger as an idea occurred to him. Then he held up his hand as a signal to Hutch, to wait. Starsky positioned himself on the left side of the door. He knocked twice and stepped back.  
A voice came from the room. "Yeah, who is it?"  
"It's the desk clerk, Mr. Wilson. You've got a phone call at the desk."  
"Well, transfer it up here, you idiot! There's a phone in my room."  
"I tried that already, but something's wrong with the switchboard. It's already disconnected the guy once. He was pretty pissed, so I didn't want to try it again. He said it was important, or I wouldn't have bothered you."  
"Oh, all right. I'll be down in a minute. Tell whoever it is to keep his pants on."  
"OK, whatever you say, Mr. Wilson."  
Starsky gave his partner a thumbs up, and Hutch grinned back. They waited for the door to open. As Carruthers came out of the door, Starsky grabbed his wrist and yanked him into the hallway. Before the felon could react, Starsky pushed him up against the wall. Hutch pulled Carruthers' arms behind his back and handcuffed him. Then he swung him around.   
Hutch grinned at him. "I've got your phone call right here, Carruthers. The message is: you're busted!"  
Carruthers swore. "Damn it! How the Hell did you pigs find me?"  
"That's our little secret, scum. Besides, you know what they say: don't shoot the messenger. Come on, let's go."  
Starsky let Hutch and Carruthers go in front of him, then he pulled the radio from his belt. "It's OK, everybody, we got him. We're on our way down."  
They walked their prisoner to the patrol car in front of the hotel. Hutch turned him over to the other officers.  
"Here, Joe, I've got a present for you. Take him downtown and book him. We'll be there in a bit."  
"Sure thing, Hutch. Come on, Carruthers. We got a cell reserved in your name down at the lock-up."  
As Carruthers passed Micki, he smiled. "Hello, baby-cakes. Did you come down to say good-bye?"  
Micki snorted. "Yeah, only this time it's for good. You're going back to prison, Danny, where you belong."  
Carruthers showed his teeth. "Been there, done that. See you around, baby-cakes."  
Hutch waited until Carruthers was safely in the car, then shut the door. As the patrol car drove off, he put his arm around Micki.  
"Come on, let's go home."  
The four detectives stopped at the precinct long enough to file their reports, and then went home for a well-deserved rest. For the first time since the ordeal began, both couples enjoyed a peaceful night.   
The next morning, they met in Captain Dobey's office and filled him in on the arrest.   
"Well, I have to admit that I'm glad Carruthers is back behind bars. We'll hold him long enough for the Feds to get here, and then he's off to the state pen. Hopefully, this time, he'll stay there."  
Micki grinned. "You can say that again, Cap. Did you ever figure out how he managed to escape in the first place?"  
"It's like we figured. It was an inside job. Somebody, we think it was DiConti, paid off one of the guards. Carruthers went down to take a shower, then when one of the inmates gathered up the dirty linen, Carruthers hid in the bottom of the laundry cart. The guard looked the other way while the cart was loaded onto the truck. He waited an hour before reporting that Carruthers was AWOL, which gave him plenty of time to disappear. You can bet that DiConti had someone waiting outside the prison for that truck, and Carruthers just jumped out and hid in another vehicle. The Feds are still investigating, and when they're finished, I imagine a few more arrests will be made. The best part about this is Carruthers goes back to prison with a few more years tacked on to his sentence. He might be out in time to apply for social security, but it's doubtful."  
Tracy smiled sweetly. "It couldn't happen to a nicer guy."  
Dobey nodded. "I think we're all in agreement on that one. You did a good job, all of you. You caught Carruthers before he slipped out of the city, and without anyone else getting hurt. I'm sorry that he left one victim behind, but there could have been a lot more. Now, the best thing you can do is put all of this behind you and get on with your lives."  
He sat back in his chair and smiled. "So, what are you still doing in my office? Get back to work, all of you."  
The four detectives laughed out loud and filed out of the office. Starsky and Micki turned at the same time and gave a mock salute.   
"Yes, sir," Starsky said.  
"Captain, sir," Micki said, and laughed again.   
Micki and Tracy followed Starsky and Hutch back to their desks. Micki looked around the office slowly.  
"You know, it feels really weird to be back in this room and know that we don't have to worry about Danny any more. So, what do we do now?"  
Tracy smiled at her friend. "We pick up where we left off. David and Ken go back to the Honeywell case, and we go tackle all the paper work on our desk."  
Micki laughed. "I never thought I'd say this, but I can't wait. After you, my dear."  
She swept her hands out, making a pretend path for Tracy to follow. Tracy stuck her nose up in the air and strutted.  
"Why thank-you, my dear."   
Micki followed her out of the room, still giggling.  
Starsky and Hutch looked at each other and shook their heads. Starsky grinned.   
"Well, I think they're going to be just fine. What do you say, partner, should we get back to work?"  
"Like Micki said, I can't wait. Let's go."  
The four detectives settled back into their old routines, and the rest of the day passed without incident. Since the two men were out on a case, Micki drove Tracy home. She was slightly surprised to see the Torino in the driveway.  
"Hey, Davy's home. I guess they knocked off early. I'd better get on home then, instead of coming in for a bit. You and Dave should have some time alone, and I know I really need to be with Ken for a while. Maybe we'll actually get to spend an entire evening at home without getting called out on a case."  
Tracy crossed her fingers. "Let's hope so. We can definitely use it. I'll see you in the morning, sis."  
"You got it, kid. Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do." Micki grinned wickedly.  
Tracy laughed out loud. "Micki, there ISN'T anything you wouldn't do. See ya."  
Tracy walked into the apartment and sniffed the air. The tantalizing aroma of tomato sauce filled the room.   
She called out, "Something sure smells good! Maybe I should give the chef a big kiss."  
Starsky came out of the kitchen and grabbed her, swinging her around.  
"There ain't no chef here, darlin', just little ole me. So how about plantin' a big one right here?"  
Tracy laughed gaily and kissed him passionately. She put her arms around his waist and smiled.   
"Did you just decide to take off early, or did Dobey actually give you permission?"  
Starsky stepped back and took both her hands. "He told us to knock off early, believe it or not. Come on, I got you something while we were out."  
He pulled her into the living room and turned her toward the couch. On the coffee table sat a large, white, stuffed teddy bear.   
"Oh, Dave, he's precious! I love him."  
She moved around and sat on the couch. The stuffed bear had a black nose, huge button eyes, and wore a gold ribbon around his neck. Tracy looked closer at the ribbon and gasped. The ribbon was tied with a large bow, and hanging from the bow was a diamond ring. Speechless, Tracy looked at Starsky.  
He sat down beside her and untied the bow, letting the ring drop into his palm. He got down on one knee beside her.  
"I love you, Tracy. I've spent my life wishing for that house with the white picket fence, and never thought I'd find it. I was wrong. I don't need storybook endings, because my fairy tale is right here with you. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"  
Tracy put her right hand to her lips as he placed the ring on her left. She smiled through her tears.   
"Yes! I love you, David Starsky, and I'd be proud to be your wife."   
Micki pulled her car up behind Hutch's and trotted up the stairs. She let herself into the apartment and smiled at the scene in the kitchen. The table was set once again, with candles glowing softly in the center.  
Hutch pulled her close to him. "I figured it was my turn to cook. Dobey gave us the afternoon off, so I thought I'd put it to good use. You've got time to freshen up if you want to."  
"Sounds good to me. I'll be back in a flash."  
Dinner was waiting for her when she returned to the kitchen. Micki laughed, delighted, when she saw what he had prepared.  
"Hey, pot roast! How did you know it was one of my favorites?"  
Hutch smiled fondly at her. "Oh, it was just a wild guess. Dig in before it gets cold."  
They enjoyed a quiet meal, then moved into the living room. Micki rested her head on Hutch's shoulder.  
"It's so nice to be able to sit back and relax a little. And it's so good to be home. Everything I want is right here."  
"Do you really mean that, Mick?"  
She caressed his cheek. "Yes, I do. I have you, and Tracy has David. I don't think I've ever been happier."  
"I'm glad you said that."   
Hutch reached into his pocket and drew out the small black jewelry box. He took her left hand in his.  
He smiled. "You're one of a kind, Micki Ellis. It's been a rough couple of years for me. I stopped believing in myself, my job, and started wondering why I even bothered to go on any more. Then I met you. You made me laugh, and made me appreciate what I have. For the first time in a very long time, you made me feel alive. I love you, Micki. Will you marry me?"  
She gasped as he opened the box. Inside lay an exquisite diamond solitaire ring. Hutch slipped it on her finger. She smiled, her eyes bright with tears.   
"I love you so much, Ken Hutchinson. Yes, I'll marry you!"  
After a romantic night, Hutch woke up to the sound of the alarm clock. He sighed with regret. He didn't want to go to work. What he wanted was to spend the day with Micki, and call Starsky and Tracy over for a celebration. However, with a wedding in their future, any time off would be saved for a honeymoon. Hutch smiled to himself. After his disastrous marriage to Vanessa, he never thought he'd be walking down the aisle again. His life had certainly changed over the past few months. The despair that had culminated after Gunther had turned to happiness after he met Micki. The joy he felt was doubled when he saw how happy Starsky was. He knew how devastated Starsky had been when Terry died, and it was heartening to see him with Tracy.   
He glanced at the clock again and shook himself out of his reverie. He slipped out of bed without waking Micki and padded into the kitchen to make coffee. Once the coffee was brewed, he poured two cups and carried them into the bedroom. He sat his cup down on the bedside table and waved the other cup under Micki's nose. A few seconds later, her nose twitched and her eyes opened.   
"Ummm, coffee!" She reached for the cup.  
"Oh, no you don't. Time to rise and shine, sleepy head. You want this coffee, you get up and come into the kitchen."  
He picked up his cup and left the room, laughing as her pillow hit him in the back. He heard her mumble as she got out of bed.   
Micki walked past him and into the bathroom. She splashed some water on her face and ran a brush through her long hair. Then she walked back into the kitchen and claimed her cup of coffee.  
Hutch grinned at her. "Good morning, sunshine. Are you ready for another busy day?"  
"You mean a busy, NORMAL day. I'd almost forgotten what that felt like. I feel like I've been living a nightmare ever since I met Danny."  
Hutch gently cupped her chin. "The nightmare's over, Mick. It's smooth sailing from now on."  
Micki looked down at her ring and smiled. "I know. Danny's back in prison where he belongs. The bad times are behind us and the good times are just beginning."  
He drew her close and kissed her, losing himself in the moment. A knock on the door brought him back to the present.   
He sighed. "That's Starsky and Tracy. I guess we'd better let them in."  
He looked at her, expectantly. Micki was puzzled for a moment, then looked down at herself. She was still wearing the shirt she had slept in that night.  
She gasped. "David!"  
She ran to the bedroom, snatched some clothes and rushed into the bathroom. Hutch laughed as he walked to the door. Before he could open it, Micki rushed back out and held up a finger.  
"Not yet! Wait a minute!"  
She ran back into the bedroom and returned, clutching an article of clothing. She raised it up for Hutch to see.  
"I forgot my pants!"  
Hutch shook his head and answered the door. Starsky and Tracy both looked at him.  
Starsky asked, "What's so funny? Did we miss something?"  
Hutch laughed again. "Barely."  
Tracy looked around. "Where's Micki?"  
"She's in the bathroom, getting dressed."  
Tracy grinned mischievously and banged on the door. "Hey, hurry up in there! We don't have all day, you know!"  
The bathroom door opened a bit and a wet towel came flying out, hitting Tracy in the face. She laughed and moved back. Micki came out a moment later.  
She grinned at her partner. "At least it doesn't take me two hours to primp, like it does you. Maybe David needs to add another bathroom on to his apartment so he can get ready in the mornings."  
Tracy stuck her tongue out. "Smart ass."  
The two men shook their heads. Starsky took Tracy's hand.  
"Come on, girls, it's time to go. You can finish this later."  
Micki replied, "Do we have a choice?"  
"Nope. Duty calls."  
Hutch locked up the apartment and followed Micki down the stairs. He stopped in front of the Torino.  
"Wait a minute. We're going to need both cars today. We have to check out those witnesses, and there's no telling how long that will take. You and Tracy go on to the station and we'll follow you in Micki's car."  
Starsky nodded. "Sounds good to me."  
They met at the station. Starsky pulled his Torino beside Micki's and got out. The two couples stood in front of the car.  
Hutch turned to Micki. "So, what are we doing after work?"  
"I need to go over to the house and finish closing it up. Now that Danny's been caught, I can turn it over to the real estate agent. Tracy's going over to her mom's, so I'll drop her off on the way."  
"OK. How long do you think it will take you at the house?"  
"It shouldn't take too long. We were just about finished when Danny called the other day."  
"So, why don't we pick Tracy up after we interview the rest of the witnesses, and we'll meet you at the house? We can help you finish up and then we can go out for dinner."  
"Sounds good to me."  
Hutch put his arms around Micki and kissed her. Starsky kissed Tracy good-bye and stepped back. He headed for the driver's side of his car, then stopped when he realized Hutch wasn't behind him. He grinned when he saw them still embraced. He shook his head and walked back to them. After giving Tracy another kiss, he crossed to where Hutch and Micki stood.   
He pulled at Hutch's sleeve. "Come on, Romeo, time to get to work."  
Hutch ignored his partner and held Micki tighter. Starsky broke them apart and towed Hutch to the Torino. He opened the passenger side door and put Hutch in the car. Starsky waved as he started the car and pulled out of the lot.  
Micki waved back as the car drove out of sight. Then she turned and walked toward the building.  
Tracy looked at her friend. "Hey, Mick, get your feet back on the ground. You're walking on air."  
Micki laughed with her. "You should talk, and you're tall enough as it is."  
Later that afternoon, Micki dropped Tracy off at her mother's house and drove to the house she had shared with Danny. She stopped at the front door and pulled out her keys.  
"OK, house, this is it. This is the last time you'll see me. Nothing personal, you understand, but you hold too many bad memories for me. I'm sure whoever buys you will be happy to have you."  
She laughed at herself for talking to an inanimate object, then went inside. The moldy smell was apparent even in the front room.  
"Oh, shit, I forgot about the stuff that was in the refrigerator!"  
She immediately went around the ground floor of the house, opening the windows, then went into the kitchen. The black trash bag was where she had left it. The smell was definitely emanating from the bag. Micki carried the bag outside and put it in the large receptacle in the alley. Then she went back inside and started putting the kitchen in order. She turned on the radio for company as she worked. The song that came on was perfect for her. Micki sang along as she wiped the counters down.

"Goin' to the chapel  
And we're gonna get ma-a-arried  
Goin' to the chapel  
And we're gonna get ma-a-arried  
Gee, I really love you  
And we're gonna get ma-a-arried  
Goin' to the chapel of love

Micki was washing out the sink when she heard the front door open. She called out without turning around.  
"Hey, you guys are early! I'm just about finished and then we can go."  
"Hello, baby-cakes."  
Micki gasped and swung around. "Danny! How did you get in here?"  
"I have a key, remember? This is my house, after all."  
"I meant, how did you get here, period? You're supposed to be on your way back to the pen. How did you escape?"  
"By the oldest trick in the book." Danny clutched his chest. "Oh, God, I'm having chest pains. I'm having a heart attack!" He laughed. "I can't make up my mind whether those guards watch too much TV, or not enough. Anyway, I'm out, and we have some unfinished business to take care of."  
"You know, that's not too smart, Danny. It won't take them long to figure out where you've gone. They'll have this place surrounded before you can blink your eyes."  
"That doesn't matter, baby-cakes. I'll be gone by then. And if they get me, I'll still take care of you first. It's a win-win situation. Where's your piece, Micki?"  
"I'm off duty. I don't have it with me."  
Danny pointed his weapon at her. "Don't bullshit me, Micki! I know you better than that. I can shoot you right now, and get it over with, but that's not what I have in mind. Now, where is it?!"  
Micki motioned with her head. "It's in the desk drawer, over there."  
She waited until his back was turned then flung her hand out, flexing her wrist as she aimed the stiletto at him. It hit him high on the shoulder.   
Danny roared in pain. Micki rushed past him and toward the front door. Before she could open it, a hand grabbed her long hair and swung her around. Danny seized her wrists and held her against the door.  
"You bitch! You're just like a rattlesnake! I should know better than to turn my back on you."  
Micki sneered at him. "You never were very smart, Danny. I guess that's the mob mentality coming out."  
Danny cursed again and back-handed her across the face. "And you're still on that high-horse, I see. You always thought you were better than me. Well, when I'm finished with you, even your own mother won't want nothing to do with you. Let's see how high and mighty you are then."  
Micki shifted her weight to her left side and brought her right foot down on his instep as hard as she could. Danny bent over and clutched his foot. Micki pushed him, hard, and ran toward the kitchen and the back door. Danny covered the distance in a few long strides and grabbed her before she could escape.  
"Look who's being dumb now, pig. Go on, keep it up. You're just making it harder on yourself."  
"You're crazy, Danny. I'm sorry that I ever got mixed up with you."  
"You ain't half as sorry as you're gonna be, baby-cakes."  
Danny forced her back against the refrigerator, and kissed her. Micki's lips parted, as if inviting his tongue, then when she felt him respond, she bit down on his mouth with all her strength. Danny howled and punched her in the stomach in an effort to make her let go. Micki gasped involuntarily, and released her hold on him.  
"You're gonna pay for that one, bitch."   
Danny shifted his weight and forced her arms up, bent at her elbows, and pressed them against the refrigerator. For the first time, he noticed the ring on her finger.  
"Wait a minute. What's this? Why baby-cakes, I thought you were saving yourself for me."  
Micki snorted. "In your dreams, punk."  
Danny grabbed her left hand in his and forced it backwards. "Who is he, Micki?"  
"None of your business."  
Danny scowled as a thought occurred to him. "It's that blonde cop that arrested me, isn't it? I said, isn't it?!"  
Micki winced as he increased the pressure on her hand. "Yes, and you're not fit to be the dirt under his feet."  
"Did you give him a little, Mick? Huh? Did you give him a taste?"  
The pain roared in her ears as he forced her hand back farther. "Yes, damn it! And he's twice the man you'll ever be."  
The fury in Danny's eyes glowed. "Wait a damn minute! He was always hanging around you before you busted me. Were you banging him then, too? ANSWER ME!!"  
"Yes! I had to do something to take the bad taste out of my mouth whenever you touched me. You made me sick when you forced yourself on me. He makes me happy. You just made me want to throw up."  
Danny snarled as he snapped the bones in her wrist. The room darkened as the pain washed over her. She slumped down against the side of the refrigerator. Dimly, she felt Danny adjust his hold on her. Summoning her waning strength, Micki straightened herself and came up sharply under his chin. Danny rocked back and she broke away, and raced upstairs. She could hear him chasing her as she ran for the bedroom. She flung open the door and ran to the window.   
Micki tried to open the window with her right hand, but it refused to budge.   
She cried out in frustration. "Damn it!"   
Danny pounded on the door from the other side. "Let me in, you bitch! You can't get away from me, so you might as well give it up. Open this door, now!"  
Micki grabbed the lamp from the night table and hid behind the door. She could hear Danny ramming his shoulder against it. She raised the lamp above her head and waited. Finally, the door gave under Danny's weight. Micki brought the lamp crashing down on his head. He staggered back into the room, shaking his head. Micki shoved him against the bed and raced out of the room. She flew down the stairs, taking two at a time. As she reached the bottom, Danny tackled her from behind and landed on the floor, on top of her. The room faded as the wind was knocked out of her lungs.   
Danny turned her over and straddled her with his legs. He tore at her blouse.  
"I'll teach you, you little slut! I'll show you what a real man is."  
He straightened up and grasped his belt buckle, and pulled it loose. At the same time, Micki opened her eyes and brought her knee up sharply between his legs. Danny made a strangled sound and collapsed beside her.   
Micki's purse lay on the chair where she had put it earlier. She struggled to her feet and started toward it. Before she could reach it, a hand came from behind and seized her ankle. She crashed to the ground once more.   
She gave a determined cry. "Nooo!!"  
Micki twisted her body around and yanked at the phone cord that dangled from the small table beside her. The phone slid off the table and landed on Danny's head. He let go of her foot and she crawled toward her purse. Her hand closed over the strap and she pulled it down to her, dumping its contents onto the carpet. Micki clutched the gun in her right hand and stood up, leaning against the wall for support.  
Danny shook his head to clear it, then stood up. He snarled when he saw her. Micki thumbed the safety off and aimed the gun at Danny.  
"Hold it right there, Danny."  
He growled deep in his throat and moved toward her.  
"Stop! I mean it, Danny. Stay where you are!"  
He simply bared his teeth at her and moved closer.  
"Don't do it, Danny! I'll shoot you. I swear to God, I'll shoot!"  
He reached toward her and kept walking.   
"Danny, NOOO!!"  
The sound of the gunshot exploded in the room.

Starsky and Hutch finished interviewing the last witness on their list late that afternoon. Starsky sighed with relief.  
"Thank God that's over. Do you think we did any good, or were we just wasting our time?"  
Hutch shrugged. "We won't know until we get back to the station and compare notes. I don't know about you, but I'm beat. Why don't we log out and pick up Tracy? Micki should be almost finished at the house by now. A nice, relaxing dinner sounds good right about now."  
"You won't get any argument from me. Let's go. We can go over our notes in the morning."  
When they arrived at Tracy's mother's house, Starsky got out of the car. Hutch stayed where he was, until Starsky shook his head.  
"Oh, no you don't. You ain't getting off that easy. We might as well get used to meeting the family now. Come on, let's go."  
Hutch sighed and got out of the car. The two men walked up the driveway and knocked on the door. They just missed the message that came over the radio.  
"Dispatch to Zebra 3. Come in, Zebra 3. Emergency transmission from Captain Dobey."  
Twenty minutes later, Starsky, Hutch and Tracy came out of the house. Tracy kissed her mother once more, then the three detectives walked back to the car. They heard the radio as they got in.  
"Dispatch to Zebra 3. Come in, Zebra 3"  
Hutch grabbed the microphone. "This is Zebra 3. Go ahead, Dispatch."  
"Stand by, Zebra 3. Emergency transmission from Captain Dobey."  
"Hutch, where the Hell have you been? Tommy Carruthers escaped from jail an hour ago. We just got the call. Let me talk to Micki."  
Hutch looked stricken. "She's not here, Captain. She's at the house."  
"What the Hell is she doing there? That's where we think Carruthers is heading!"  
Starsky started the car and slammed it into gear. Hutch put the Mars light on the roof and held on as the Torino careened around the corner. Hutch groaned, frustrated, as the suburban traffic increased, slowing them down.   
"Damn it, Starsky, hurry up!"  
Starsky's voice was steady. "I'm going as fast as I can, Hutch. We ain't gonna do her any good if we get in an accident."  
The Torino weaved in and out of traffic as they hurried to Tommy Carruthers' house.  
Hutch turned off the siren and brought the light in as they neared the house. Starsky pulled the Torino behind Micki's car and killed the engine. Hutch was out of the car and running before the sound of the motor died.  
The sound of the gun shot split the air. Hutch raised his leg and kicked the door in with one fluid movement. He came to a halt as the scene unfolded. Micki was leaning against the wall, holding her gun in an outstretched hand. She was bloodied and bruised, her clothing torn. Tommy Carruthers lay on the floor, moaning and clutching his shoulder. Hutch ignored him as he walked slowly toward Micki. Her eyes were blank and she stared straight ahead.   
"Micki, it's me, Ken. It's all right now. Give me the gun."  
Micki tightened her grip on the handle. She shook her head slightly.  
"Micki, give me the gun. It's OK, sweetheart. We're here. Danny won't hurt you anymore."  
Micki's eyes slowly focused as she recognized his voice. Her arm dropped to her side and she let the gun fall.   
Her voice was weak. "I told you that I wouldn't let him hurt anybody else."  
Hutch caught her as she lost consciousness. He carried her over to the couch and lay her down, gently. The sounds of sirens wailing drew closer. Hutch turned as several officers ran through the door, followed by Captain Dobey.   
Starsky finished putting the handcuffs on Carruthers and jerked him upright.   
"Here ya go, Ricky. Take him back down to the station and book him. We'll be there as soon as we can."  
Tracy sat down on the couch beside Micki and gently washed the blood from her face. She examined her partner closely, then turned to Hutch.  
"I don't think she's seriously hurt, Ken. Her wrist is broken and she has some cracked ribs, but that isn't life threatening."  
Hutch turned to one of the officers. "Stan, call an ambulance, will you?"  
"I already did, Hutch. It should be here in a few minutes."  
Hutch stood up and glared at Carruthers. He crossed to where Ricky was holding him.   
"You're real good at beating up women, aren't you, Carruthers? Why don't you try picking on a man for a change?"  
Carruthers sneered. "Anytime you feel froggy, cop, just bring it on."   
Hutch cursed and struck out at the felon. Ricky pulled Carruthers out of the way before the blow landed. At the same time, Starsky grabbed his partner's arm, bringing it down. Two pairs of blue eyes met.  
"Don't do it, Hutch. We've got him cold. Don't blow it now."  
Hutch exhaled slowly, then nodded. He let his arm drop and turned away from Carruthers.   
Dobey turned to Ricky, "Get him out of here!" Then he turned to Hutch. "Calm down, Hutchinson. He's already added a few more years on to his sentence. Don't give his lawyer any ammunition."  
Before Hutch could answer him, Tracy called from across the room. "Ken, she's awake."  
Hutch turned his back on the felon and walked back to the couch. He kneeled down next to Micki.  
She looked over at him. "Where's Danny? Is he all right?"  
"He's fine, Mick. You nicked him in the shoulder. He'll be fine."  
She smiled at Tracy. "I got him, kid. We stopped him, and I didn't have to kill him."  
Starsky leaned over the couch and touched her hair. "No, you didn't have to kill him, Mick. You did good. Annie Oakley would have been proud."  
She laughed, then winced at the pain in her side. Hutch gently touched her shoulder.  
"Easy, Mick. The ambulance is on its way."  
"Ambulance? Man, not the hospital again."  
Hutch grinned at her. "Well, that's what you get for brawling. Didn't your mother ever tell you that it's not lady like to fight?"  
"Yeah, and it didn't work then, either. But I'll make a deal with you. I'll hang up my boxing gloves if you promise me something."  
"Name it."  
"Try to keep hold of him this time, OK? Don't let him get away again. This is getting kind of old."  
"You got it, Mick." He bent over and kissed her tenderly on her lips.  
Tommy Carruthers jeered at the scene. "So, you got her now, right, cop? That's a pretty good piece of ass, isn't it?"  
Hutch roared and went for Carruthers' throat. It took three officers to pull the two men apart. Starsky wedged himself between them. Dobey grabbed Hutch by the shoulder and forced him back. Starsky caught his arm.  
"Hutch, stop it! He's just pushing your buttons. Don't let him get to you."  
Dobey bellowed. "I said, get him out of here! Now!"  
He glared at his two detectives. "Starsky, control your partner, or take him outside."  
Hutch dropped his eyes and nodded slightly. He crossed the room again. As he passed the door, two uniformed officers quietly moved in front of it. He ignored them and knelt down beside Micki once more. As he did, the ambulance finally arrived. The medics entered the room quickly, rolling a stretcher in front of them. Hutch helped them transfer Micki to the stretcher and followed them out of the room. Starsky nodded at his Captain and he and Tracy followed Hutch. They jumped into the Torino as the ambulance raced to the hospital.

A few days later, the red and white Torino pulled up in front of Venice Place. Tracy sat in the front seat with Starsky and Hutch and Micki sat in the back. Tracy got out first and ran up the stairs to open the door. Starsky held the seat up while Hutch helped Micki out of the car. He picked her up and carried her to the door.  
"Ken, you don't have to do this. My legs aren't broken."  
He kissed her. "They're the only bones that aren't. Hush."  
Starsky held the apartment door open for them while Tracy pulled the covers down on the bed. Micki pointed to the couch as they passed.  
"Couch?"  
"Bed." Hutch's voice was firm.  
Micki shrugged philosophically as he settled her into their bed. Tracy slipped Micki's shoes off and covered her friend. Starsky stood at the head of the bed.   
Hutch kissed her and held up his finger. "Now, behave yourself and get some rest. I'll be back in a minute."  
"Wait! You guys aren't going, are you? Come on, why don't you stay for a while? We can watch TV, or play Monopoly."  
Starsky leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "Nah, you need your rest right now. Tell ya what, though. You mind Hutch and get back on your feet, and we'll go a couple of rounds in the boxing ring. I'll show you a couple of tricks."  
"Hey, that sounds great! I didn't know you knew how to box, Davy?"  
Starsky grinned that 1000 watt smile. "I got my own moves. I'll show you the Starsky style."  
Micki grinned, but Hutch looked sternly at his partner. "Don't encourage her, Starsk. She's hanging her boxing gloves up, remember?"  
"Hey, I promised I wouldn't fight any more, but this is for fun. Please, Ken?"  
"Yeah, Hutch, it's just for fun. What harm would it do?"  
Hutch looked at the two brunettes and shook his head sadly. "What am I going to do with the two of you? OK, we'll talk about it. LATER. For now, young lady, go to sleep. You're not ready for the ring yet."  
He walked Tracy and Starsky to the door. Tracy kissed him on the cheek.  
"Call if you need anything, OK? And don't forget to eat something. You have to take care of yourself, too."  
"Don't worry, I won't forget. I'll call you tomorrow. Good night, you two."  
Starsky winked at his partner and followed Tracy out the door. Hutch went back inside and fixed himself something to eat. He checked on Micki every few minutes, to make sure she was comfortable. As he was turning the lights off in the apartment, he heard her curse softly. He hurried into the bedroom. Micki was standing by the bed, holding on to the night table for support.  
"Micki, what the Hell are you doing out of bed? Where were you going?"  
Micki glared at him. "Think real hard, Ken."  
Hutch looked toward the bathroom and grinned. "Oh, OK. Why didn't you say something? Here, I'll help you."  
He half-carried her to the bathroom door and let her down. He started to follow her inside, but she stopped him with another withering glance.  
"Don't even THINK about it!"  
He laughed out loud. "OK, but don't lock that door if you don't want company."  
She was out again in a few minutes. He helped her back to bed, moving slowly.  
"OK, who's bright idea was it to move the bed? It wasn't that far away a few minutes ago."  
Hutch helped her into the bed and shook his head. "This is ridiculous. I should never have let you come home so soon. You belong in a hospital."  
Micki shook her head. "I don't want to be in a hospital. I want to be with you. That's where I belong."  
"All right, it's against my better judgment, but I won't say anything more about it. But I want you to do everything the doctor ordered."  
"Well, it's against MY better judgment, but OK. I'll just lie here and vegetate."  
"Promise?"  
Micki grinned slyly. "No, but I'll try."  
Hutch sighed and grinned back. "I guess that's the best I can hope for."  
"You know it is."  
Hutch turned out the light and slid into bed with her. "Go to sleep, silly."

The End


End file.
